Cousins Lost and Found
by God'sgirlforever
Summary: Crutchy's cousin has been missing since they were 5. Romance blossoms, surprises happen, and faith is restored when they are reunited after years of being apart. No slash or swearing! There will be mentions of Christianity.
1. Prologue

"Benjy! Come play!" 5 year old Laura Martin called to her cousin of the same age, Benjamin Martin. It was a fine Saturday afternoon in May 1887. Benjy ran over as fast as he could, dragging his right leg a little.  
"Ma said we could play till dinner but I can't play afta. Ma says I gotta play da violin for her tonight. I'm going to Maura's house to run races."  
"Can I come listen? I likes hearing you play."  
"Sure. I likes when you come over. Can you stay for dinner too?"  
"Lemme ask my ma and pa," said Benjy, running up to his flat as fast as his legs would let him.  
"There's my Benjy boy! Come here and give your old pa a hug," called out David Martin, opening his arms for his youngest son to jump into.  
"Hi Pa! Guess wat? Laura said I could go to her house for dinner and listen to her play violin afta we run races at Maura's house. Can I go?"  
"Run races with girls? Listen to music? Is that really what you want to do on a Saturday?"  
"Oh yes! Please say I can!" begged Benjy, his face shining with excitement. "Please Pa? Please Ma?"  
Mrs. Martin laughed at her son's face. "Oh all right, I suppose you can. But stay there after you eat. I'll send your pa to fetch you later, okay?"  
"Thanks Ma! Bye!" The two cousins ran out the door, laughing all the way.

"I think we're lost. Are you sure dis is the way Benjy?" asked Laura in a whisper.  
"Yeah, I think so. Dere's da Brooklyn Bridge," replied Benjy, although he wasn't sure at all. He was lost and his bum leg hurt badly from so much walking. He was also hungry and wished he hadn't insisted on doing just one more race. Now because of it, he had gotten his favorite cousin and best friend in the world lost.  
"Well now, was has we got here?" a low voice asked from the shadows.  
"It looks like two kids has gotten demselves good and lost," growled a second voice. Just then, two men stepped into the light of the lamppost the cousins had just walked under.  
" If youse ask me, dey de perfect age ta do some work fer us," said the first man, who had an eye-patch over his left eye. He threw part of a lighted cigar in a nearby trash can. "De girl should get us some good money."  
"P-p-please don't hurt us. We j-j-j-just want t-ta g-get home," whimpered Laura, by now very afraid.  
"Oh we ain't gonna hurt ya, giorl. We just want youse to follow us real quiet-like." Eye-patch reached out for Laura.  
"Leave my cousin alone ya bum!" piped up Benjy, kicking the man in the shin. "Run Laura! Go get help!"  
Laura froze in place, watching her cousin fighting as hard as he could against Eye-patch man's friend. Eye-patch grabbed her and pulled her into the shadows. Immediately Laura began to squirm. "No, please! Stop! Benjy, help! Please no!" The man didn't listen, holding the 5 year old tighter. He pulled Laura's tights down, and then began to pull her dress off. Just then, Mr. Martin came around the corner.  
"Hey, let them go! Help! Police!" He punched the man holding his son in the mouth before going after Eye-patch.  
The man released Benjy, who fell into the way of an oncoming horse.  
"Benjy!" screamed Laura, finally managing to break free. She ran out to her cousin, now unconscious from hitting his head. The night suddenly grew brighter as the trashcan caught fire and quickly spread to the buildings nearby.  
"Laura, quick. Bring Benjy with you and run back to Maura's. Don't stop along the way, just run!" ordered Mr. Martin, running into the nearest building.  
"Daddy!" cried Benjy, just waking up. He sat up, looking around. "Daddy, where are you? Come back!" He jumped to his feet and tried to run after his pa, falling down after a few steps.  
"Benjy, no! Wait for me. Benjy!" called out Laura, running after him. She soon lost him in the crowd that had gathered to help. "Benjy! Benjy!"  
Benjy looked back only once to see if his cousin was following him. The last memory Benjy had of his cousin, she was standing in the path of a horse. The last word he heard was his cousin calling his name.

_**Note from the author-So Crutchy is one of my favorite characters and I decided to write a story about him. I got this idea a few days ago and thought I'd see how it goes. Let me know if you like it or not and if I should keep going or not.**_


	2. 12 years later

_**Thanks to Newsie4eva, broadwaysgirl143, and Ealasaid Una for the reviews. I have decided to continue for you guys.**_

The little girl wrapped her arms around her tighter, as if to ward off the chill the rain had brought. She shivered, looking around. She was so tired and cold and hadn't had a meal in three days. Finally she sat down in front of a building and started cried until she fell asleep.  
Opening her eyes, the little girl blinked as a face came into focus. It was the face of a young girl, about the same age as her.  
"Benjy?" she whispered. Or at least, she _thought_ she whispered. She didn't hear anything. She started sitting up. Just then a nun walked in with a tray of food. Smiling, she set the tray down on a table, turned to the girl on the bed and asked a question. The girl still couldn't hear a thing. What was wrong with her? Her eyes started moving around the room, looking for something. Looking for someone…

Laura Mae sat straight up in bed, gasping. She looked around the room wildly, as if searching. She jumped, feeling a hand on her arm.  
Her friend Carey looked concerned. "Are you okay?" she asked, using her hands as well as talking. Laura nodded, letting out a breath.  
"_Bad dream. Same one as always," _she signed. Laura had lost some of her hearing because of a head injury before coming to the orphanage run by the nuns. The doctor who looked at her as a child had said Laura may regain some of her hearing but would never regain all of it. It would be enough to speak and sound like other people, but Laura had chosen not to try. Selective muteness, he said; stems from trauma as a child, most likely the same trauma that had caused her hearing loss.  
"The one about you ending up here?"  
"_Yes, but this time was different."  
_"What was different about it?"  
"_This time there was a man with an eye-patch chasing me. And there was a building on fire."  
_"Is that how your parents died? In a fire?"  
"_I don't remember. I remember running races with my cousin and friend but that's the last thing I remember before waking up here."  
_Sister Abigail stuck her head in the door. "Girls, it's almost time for morning prayers. Can you help the younger ones?"  
Both girls nodded and began to get ready in silence.

Crutchy sighed as he sat down on a bench in Central Park. He had a nightmare last night, he hadn't slept well because of it, the headline was bad today, his leg hurt a lot today, and on top of that he was hungry.  
"Are youse okay?" Kid Blink asked. When Crutchy didn't answer, Blink lightly smacked him with his papers. Crutchy jumped, spilling his papes all over the ground.  
"Watja do that for?" he yelled.  
"Wassa matta wit ya today? Youse not your usual cheerful self," Blink asked, surprised at Crutchy's sudden outburst. Crutchy usually had a big smile on his face, and Blink had almost never seen him without it.  
Crutchy sighed again as he bent down to grab his papes. "Sorry Blink. Bad dream last night. I didn't sleep well."  
"I hoird you last, talkin' in your sleep. Youse kept talkin' bout some goirl named Laura."  
Crutchy paled, but didn't say anything. He _had_ been dreaming about a girl named Laura.  
"Is she your goirl or somthing?"  
"No, she was my…"  
His eyes were drawn to a crowd of girls gathering under a tree not far from where to two newsies sat. Most of them looked to be about Les's age or younger, but there was two older girls about 17 or so helping out. Crutchy guessed them to be from St. Mary of Margaret's, an orphanage not far from the Lodging House. He was brought back to reality by a sharp jab from Blink. He jumped, startled.  
"Your what?"  
"My cousin. She was my cousin."  
"Was? Wat happened?"  
"Don't know. Haven't seen her since we was 5."  
"Wat happened?"  
"Nothin'. Let's go to Tibby's. I'm gettin' hungry as a horse." Crutchy grabbed his papes and began to walk. Blink shrugged as he grabbed his own papes and followed the other boy out of the park.  
Crutchy looked back on the way to Tibby's. He could see one of the older girls pulling out a violin and begin to play a cheerful tune. It sounded strangely and hauntingly familiar. He shook his head and kept walking, the sound of the violin following him all the way.

_**Hope you liked it. If you have any ideas or anything you'd like to see, let me know and I'll see if I can work it in.**_


	3. The First Meeting

"That's my cigar!" Racetrack yelled at Snipeshooter.  
"You'll steal anodder," Snipeshooter yelled back.  
"_Here we go again,"_ thought Crutchy. _"It's the same thing every morning. Any second now Blink'll jump down and say we got work to do."  
_As if on cue, Blink jumped down and told the fighting newsies they had work to do. Crutchy sighed as he hobbled to the toilets.  
"Crutchy! Wanna sell together today?" asked Blink as he headed to the sinks.  
Before he could respond, Mush walked over and slapped Crutchy's back. "Hey Crutchy, who's Laura Mae? She your goirl?" Shouts and laughter came as the other newsies started teasing Crutchy and asking questions.  
"Oohhh, Crutchy!"  
"Crutchy's got a goirlfriend!"  
"When did that happen?"  
"What's she like?"  
Crutchy mostly just ignored them, but he snapped when Mush led a group in singing "Crutchy and Laura, sittin in a tree…"  
"Aww shut your mouth ya bums! She ain't my goirl!"  
A shocked silence filled the room, finally broken by a very surprised Blink.  
"Wassa matta wit ya today?"  
"Yeah. Youse is more glum and dumb den Skittery on a good day," said an equally surprised Race. The other boys nodded their agreement.  
"Hey, I resent dat!" called Skittery, throwing some shaving cream at Race. Race ducked and the cream hit a startled Mush, who let out a surprised yell. He promptly threw a glob back, hitting Bumlets, and soon a full-fledged shaving cream fight had erupted. Crutchy shook his head as he walked out of the room. Blink followed him, drying his face on a towel.  
"Didja have dat dream again?" he asked quietly.  
Crutchy nodded. "Only this time that goirl from the park was in it."  
"Wat goirl from de park?"  
"The one from the park a few weeks ago. The one that was there with all them kids."  
Blink thought for a moment. "Da one dat played de violin?"  
Crutchy nodded again. "She was playin a song that my cousin Laura Mae used to play. She looks kinda like Laura might if she was alive."  
"Did your cousin die?"  
"I dunno. When we was five we went to run races at her friend's…" He trailed off as the other boys came in, laughing and calling out threats of revenge after their fight. Blink studied the other boy quietly, wondering what was bothering his fellow newsie. The crippled boy was normally cheerful and liked to make others happy, but lately he had been as glum as Skittery usually was. He didn't press his friend to talk and Crutchy remained silent until the two boys were headed to Central Park. Once on the way, he started talking.  
"She was my best friend."  
"Laura Mae?"  
"Yes. She was my cousin _and_ my best friend. Bout 12 years ago, we went to run races wit her friend. We was supposed to be back before dark but I insisted on one last race. I wanted to win one. On the way back, I got lost. Two men came after us and one almost raped her. He woulda too, cept that my papa came out den. Right afta that, our building caught fire and my papa ran back in to save my mama and brudders. They all died that night. I tried running afta them, but I hurt my leg. I heard Laura Mae calling me so I turned to see her and she…" Crutchy stopped and took a breath, close to tears. He hoped he wouldn't start crying.  
"How'd ya hoirt your leg?"  
"I fell in front of a horse and it stepped on my leg. I didn't get a doctor soon enough so my leg healed funny."  
"Wat about your cousin?"  
"She called afta me when I tried to stop my papa, and when I looked back, she was standin in front of a horse. I was too far away to help her and she got pushed down. By den there was too many people and I lost her. I neva found her again."  
By that time they had reached Central Park. Crutchy sighed for the hundredth time that morning.  
"Is dat why you've been so glum lately?" asked Blink.  
Crutchy nodded. "I miss her. I shoulda done more to save her."  
"It ain't your fault."  
Crutchy smiled sadly and started calling out the headlines.

"What was it we needed again?" Carey asked Laura Mae.  
"_Carrots from the market and Sister Mary wanted a paper this morning,"_ replied Laura.  
"Are you going to play your violin in Central Park today?"  
Laura nodded. _"I'll play for 30 minutes and return the laundry while you go to the market. I'll play in the same place as last time."  
_The two girls split up. Laura smiled as she walked to the park. It was a nice summer day out and she was glad the sisters sometimes let her play her violin in the park. It was a nice break from helping with the younger girls all day.  
Reaching her usual playing spot, she looked around to see how busy the park was.  
"Trolley strike in second week!" Laura looked at the newsie selling his papers. He were one she had seen there a number of times, walking around with a crutch. Sometimes she saw him with a friend, a fellow with an eye-patch. Shivering, she thought of her dream about a man with an eye-patch chasing her. She'd had it again last night. Shaking her head, she pulled out her violin and began to play.

Crutchy looked up at the sound of a violin. It was that girl again. Maybe this time he would talk to her and find out her name. He thought about it as he kept selling his papes. Half an hour later, he saw the girl's friend come over with a basket full of vegetable from the market. Setting the basket down, she started moving her hands around. Crutchy realized she was talking in sign language. He'd heard of it, but never seen anyone using it.  
"Crutchy!" He jumped, surprised at Blink's sudden appearance. "Sorry. Is dat the goirl youse was talkin about?"  
"Yeah."  
"She's comin dis way. Ask her name."  
Crutchy glared at his friend as the girl and her friend came over.  
"Can we buy a paper?" asked her friend.  
"Sure. A penny a pape," responded Blink right away. "Say, do I know you from somewhere? My friend thinks your friend looks familiar."  
Crutchy turned a bright red and swatted the grinning Blink with his stack of papes.  
The girl just laughed. "I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting. I'm Carey and this is Laura Mae. She doesn't hear very well so look at her when you talk."  
"Pleasure ta meet ya Laura Mae," said Blink, bowing and removing his newsie cap. Standing up, he noticed how pale the girl had gone. She looked terrified, as if afraid of him. Turning to her friend, she rapidly waved her hands around. Her friend looked confused.  
"Him? You just met him. How is he the guy from your dream?"  
It was Blink and Crutchy's turn to look confused. Carey tried calming her friend down. "The man from your dream was older. This can't be him." Laura didn't look calmed at all. "Okay, you get your violin and I'll get the paper." Laura turned and high-tailed it back to the tree she had been playing under.  
"Is she all right?" asked Blink, looking concerned. "Did Ise scare her?"  
"Sorry, she's just a little spooked. You remind her of someone."  
"Did he hoirt her?"  
Carey looked at Laura before turning back and saying "She was attacked by a man with an eye-patch just like yours. Ever since then…"  
This time both Crutchy and Blink paled.  
"Well, thank you for the pape gentlemen," Carey continued. She took the pape and walked back to Laura Mae, who had gathered up her things and looked ready to run. Blink and Crutchy looked at each other and shrugged before gathering up their own things and walked to Tibby's, each lost in their own thoughts.

_**In the movie Blink and Crutchy aren't shown together much but I think in real life they might have been fairly good friends, so I'm making them hang out more. This chapter is a bit longer than I meant it to be, but I had to get everything in. Hope it's good.**_


	4. Second Meetings and Surprises

Little Daniel Davidson hid in the shadows, hoping his dad would leave the kids alone. They had never done anything to him. But his dad was a drunken fool who had scared his wife back to Canada with his two daughters. It looked like his dad would get his way yet again, but the girl's dad came out and punched the man. Daniel smiled, silently cheering. He didn't want the girl to get hurt. She lived in the same tenement building and always had a smile on her face, just like her cousin, who was currently lying on the ground. Just then, the trashcan Daniel was hiding behind caught fire. He screamed and jumped away, looking around for the other kids.  
"Benjy!"  
Daniel looked up at the girl's terrified voice, calling for her cousin. She stopped and stared as a horse raced towards her, showing no signs of stopping. Daniel moved as fast as he could, hoping he would reach her in time. Just before the horse stepped on her, Daniel jumped and pushed her out of the way. She fell hard, hitting her head on the edge of the sidewalk and lay unmoving.  
"Are youse okay?" He shook her limp body, hoping she was okay. "Please wake up! Why won't youse move?" Getting no answer, he dragged the girl over to a woman with 5 children gathered around her. "Please help my friend?" he begged.  
"I don't got time kid. Bring her to someone else."  
Daniel tried several other women who all refused. Looking around, he finally settled on setting her down next to the lamppost where everything had started. At that moment, she opened her eyes and looked around.  
"What happened? Where's Benjy?" She sat up and saw the flaming building. "Ma! Pa! My violin!" She stood up and shot towards the flames.  
"Wait! Are youse okay? You shouldn't be running; you could be hoirt!" The girl didn't listen, intent on getting to her family. Daniel caught up to her before she could run into the fiery inferno.  
"Goirl, youse can't go in dere! Lemme go. Wat floor?"  
"Da fifth. Da door right by da stairs." She sounded frightened and close to tears. Daniel felt his heart clench at her pretty face, her curly reddish-brown hair falling in a cloud down her back.  
"Ise is gonna help youse. I promise nothing will hoirt youse."  
"Ya promise?"  
"I promise." She nodded, tears now falling down her face. "I'll be right back." He turned around and ran into the building.

* * *

"Blink! Wassa matta wit ya today? Youse been starin inta space for an hour," said Racetrack. Getting no answer, he threw a used napkin at the one-eyed boy across the table.  
Blink shook his head and looked at Race, who was sitting across the table at Tibby's. "Wat? Did youse say somethin Race?"  
"Yeah, Ise said wassa matta wit ya?"  
"Nothin. Just tired. Late night last night."  
"Wit a goirl?"  
"No, dat's you're job Mush," Race said. They immediately began discussing Mush's newest girl.  
Blink stared at a spot on the wall, his mind wandering back to his dream last night. It was one that only started after he had met that girl in the park. The girl with the violin that looked exactly like the one from his dream.

* * *

Daniel coughed, choking on the thick smoke. He looked around, trying to find the right door.  
"Fifth floor. Door by da stairs," he thought to himself. Finding the right door, he pushed on the door, hoping it would be unlocked. It opened right away, revealing a woman hugging two children to her chest lying near the open window. He stood and stared for a minute, shocked at seeing the dead bodies. Hearing a shout come from outside, Daniel franticly searched for the missing violin, finally finding it in the nearest bedroom. Running back down the stairs, he almost ran into a moving figure.  
"Ma! Ma, is dat you?"  
He looked at the person, recognizing her as the girl whose violin he had.  
"I told youse ta wait outside!"  
"My ma is still in dere! Please help!" she cried. "Please! I want-"  
Hearing a loud cracking sound, Daniel looked up just in time to see a piece of falling wood hit him in the left eye. He cried out in pain, dropping the instrument to grab his injured eye. The girl started for a moment before grabbing her violin and pulling him out of the building and straight into the man with the eye-patch.  
"Git ova here goirly. Ise got business to finish wit ya."  
"No!" shouted Daniel, shoving the man. Grabbing the girl's arm, he ran with her over to the nearby Brooklyn Bridge. "Listen ta me. Run ova da bridge and don't look back. Ise will be here tomorrow mornin and we can find ya family. Go!" Giving the girl a gentle push over the bridge, Daniel silently wished her luck.

* * *

"Excuse me, can I have one pape please?"  
The soft female voice startled Blink out of his daydream.  
"Penny a pape," he replied automatically, before realizing it was Laura Mae and her friend. "Oh."  
Carey giggled, taking the paper. "Where's your friend today? I was hoping to talk to him."  
"Crutchy? He's around. I think he's sellin ova by da lake."  
"Is that his name? Laura, will you be okay if I go visit with Crutchy?"  
She nodded, smiling shyly at Blink. He stared back, thinking her eyes looked familiar.  
"Are youse sure we neva met before?" he suddenly blurted out. She blushed, shaking her head. "Your eyes…" He trailed off, not sure what he had meant to say. She pointed to her eye, then his, looking curious.  
"Me eye?" She nodded again. "Wat happened to me eye?" Another nod came. "Ise injured it years ago." She tilted her head, still looking curious. "Ise was helping a friend outta fire and a burning log hit it." She mouthed the words I'm sorry, making a sign on her chest as well. "Youse can't hear, can youse?" Another shake of her head. "How do ya knows wat I'm sayin den? And how do ya speak?" She held up her hands. "Hands?" This time, she smiled as she nodded. "Ya speak wit ya hands?" Another smile and nod. "But how-" Before he could finish, she held out her hands together, palms up, and then pointed to her mouth. Blink looked confused. She sighed, looking around her. Seeing the stack of papes Blink held, she grabbed one and pretended to read it. "Read?" She pointed to her mouth again. "Mouth? Ya read mouths?" She mouthed the word lips. "Lips? Ya read lips?" She smiled again, clapping her hands in delight. "Youse can tell wat Ise sayin by readin me lips?" She nodded, still grinning. "Youse can't hear but youse can play da violin? Ise neva hoird of dat." Laura just shrugged, looking at him so intently that he squirmed. "How'd ya lose your hearing?" She shrugged, looking uncomfortable and frowning for the first time. Just then, her friend walked over with Crutchy.  
"Laura, this is Crutchy. He's asked us to see a flicker with him and his friend Blink, if that's okay with you."  
Laura looked at him, lifting a shoulder and smiling slightly. Blink smiled and nodded, already looking forward to spending more time with her.

* * *

As the two girls walked back to the orphanage, Carey talked excitedly about the few minutes she had spent with Crutchy.  
"He is such a sweet boy. He hurt his leg when he was younger, just like you. I think he said his dad saved him and his cousin from two bad men and then his tenement building caught fire. His dad died telling everyone to get out and his cousin got lost that day and no one knows what happened to her. It's a sad story. Sorry mister," she said, moving to walk around the man standing in her path.  
"Dat is a sad story," he growled. "Know how it ends?"  
"I do. Wit dese two goirls comin wit us before somebody gets hoirt," responded a second voice.  
Laura looked up and instantly paled, recognizing the eye-patched man from her dream.  
"Hey, dis here goirl looks familiar." He studied her face intently. "Yeah, youse dat goirl dat I almost snatched years ago. Remember me goirl? Youse and your cousin got away, didn't ya? But not dis time."  
Laura tried to bolt, but he grabbed her and dragged her into a nearby alleyway. She tried screaming, but he covered her mouth with his hand. "No noises. Dis time Ise will get what Ise want."  
She started crying, wishing she had her ears so she could tell if someone else was coming. She gasped when the man started pulling her shirt out of her skirt. Crying harder, she struggled to get away. When he leaned towards her, she punched him as hard as she could and ran again, straight into someone. Looking up, she saw Blink standing there, looking angry.  
"Wat is ya doin here boy? I hoird youse died years ago."  
"Youse hoird wrong. Ise still here and Ise won't let you hoirt my goirl."  
"Your goirl? Dis is your goirl?"  
"Yes. And youse is gonna leave her alone."  
Laura's eyes went back and forth between the two men as they talked. She couldn't help noticing they looked almost like father and son. She stepped back to study Blink's face harder, but was suddenly turned around.  
"Youse is comin wit me goirl, and youse is comin now!" yelled the older man.  
Out of nowhere came a fist that landed squarely on the man's jaw. A few punches later (with the help of Crutchy, who had just appeared with Carey), the man was lying on the ground, knocked out.  
"Youse goirls okay?" asked Blink.  
They nodded, looking shocked.  
"Let's go den, before dey wake up."  
Before he could walk away, Laura touched his arm. Looking quizzical, she waved her arms around. Blink and Crutchy looked at Carey, asking for her help.  
"She says you look like that man. She was wondering if you were related."  
Blink sighed, having hoped he would never have to tell anyone. "Yeah, Ise related ta him. Dat's me pa."

* * *

_**Well, this is the longest chapter so far. Hope it's good and you guys enjoy Blink's backstory. Pretty please review and tell me if it's still good?**_


	5. Reunions

**_Sorry, this chapter took forever to figure out. Hope it's good though._**

**_I keep forgetting to say this, but I (sadly) do not own Newsies and never will unless I become rich and famous. (Which I highly doubt.) I do, however, own Laura and Carey and any other characters you don't recognize from the movie._**

**_One last thing-I realized that I have this story set a week before the strike but mention Les, even though David and Les don't come in till just before the strike. So for the sake of this story, let's just pretend that the newsies met them before the strike, okay? Great. Read on!_**

Three surprised faces stared at Blink.  
"Da's my pa," Blink repeated. "He ain't a very good one though."  
"_He reminds me of someone, but I can't think of whom."  
_"Is that your cousin?"  
"What cousin?" asked Crutchy.  
"_No. I remember him from somewhere else."  
_"Well, where do you remember him from?"  
"_I'm trying to remember."  
_"What cousin?" repeated Crutchy.  
Blink watched the conversation, his eyes going back and forth between Laura, Carey, and Crutchy; he looked both amused at everyone talking over each other and confused as to what they were talking about.  
"Well think! It could be important!"  
"_I am thinking! What do you think I was doing? Composing music?"  
_"Think harder!"  
"What cousin?!" yelled Crutchy, getting frustrated that neither girl was paying him any mind.  
"_You yelling at me does not help!"_ Just then, the unconscious man lying at their feet started stirring.  
"Ise hate ta interrupt but we better cheese it. He's about ta wake up and he ain't gonna like seein us afta wat happened," said Blink. The four teens grabbed their things and ran out of the alley. They dodged and weaved through the afternoon crowds for several minutes before Laura, who was in the lead, ran headfirst into someone and fell face first onto the pavement. Rough hands pulled her up and Laura found herself staring into the face of a boy about her age. He sneered at her. "Goin somewhere girl?"  
"Leave her alone, Oscar. She done nothin to ya," called Blink as he caught up.  
"Dis your girl, Blink?" asked Oscar. "Huh? You his girl?" Laura didn't answer. "Wassa matter wit ya? You deaf and dumb or something?"  
"Uh-oh."  
"Uh-oh wat?"  
"That's what." Carey pointed at Laura.  
Laura yanked her arm out of Oscar's grip, drew it back, and threw a punch that sent Oscar flying back into the nearest wall and left everyone staring in shock. She then proceeded to yell at him in sign language. Carey translated for Blink and Crutchy.  
"_You flying baboon!"_ That sent waves of laughter through the two newsies._ "I may not hear you but I still know what you're saying. Crutchy may not be able to walk as well as you, but he's more of a man than you'll ever be! You're nothing but a big bully who-"  
_"Okay, I think it's time to keep moving," interrupted Carey. She grabbed her friend's arm and took off again.

* * *

This time, the teens didn't stop running until they reached the Lodging House. They burst into the sitting room, startling Race and Mush, interrupting their poker game. Crutchy, Carey, and Blink threw themselves onto chairs as Laura paced the room, talking in sign language.  
"Hey! Ise was winnin that game!" yelled Racetrack as cards flew around the room.  
"Ise didn't know youse could hit dat hard," panted Blink. Laura ignored him and kept stomping around the room angrily.  
"Wat happened to youse?" asked Mush.  
"Ise can't believe she did dat," Crutchy said to Carey.  
"Where'd she learn ta hit dat hard?" Blink asked the room in general.  
Laura turned to Carey. _"That flying baboon! The nerve of him!"  
_"Does she always get dis upset when she's called deaf and dumb?" Blink asked Carey.  
"She doesn't like people thinking she's a cripple. She thinks she can do everything people who can hear can do," Carey explained.  
"Can someone explain wat's goin on?" interrupted Race, throwing his hat at his friends.  
"She soaked Oscar Delancy," said Crutchy. The newsies looked in surprise at Laura, who was still angrily signing to Carey.  
"Her?" asked Race in awe, pointing to Laura.  
"Right on da nose."  
"Wat'd he do?" Mush asked.  
"He called her dumb and she got mad."  
"Who got mad?" asked Jack, walking into the room.  
"Crutchy's goirlfriend," yelled Mush with a laugh.  
"She ain't my goirlfriend!" Crutchy yelled back.  
"Den who is she?" asked Race.  
"Can Ise have her?" Mush asked at the same time.  
"No! No one gets her. She's nobody."  
"Why not?"  
"Youse get every goirl, Mush."  
"No Ise don't."  
"Yes youse do."  
"No Ise don't."  
"Wanna bet?"  
"She's no one's goirl. She's off-limits." The three newsies continued arguing about Laura.  
"Who'd she get mad at?" Jack asked Blink.  
"Oscar Delancy. Soaked him right on da nose," said Blink.  
Jack looked properly impressed. "Wat'd she soak him for?"  
"He called her dumb cuz she can't hear so good."  
"Cowboy, do Ise get every goirl or not?" Mush asked.  
"We'll settle dis outside in da usual way," said Jack, pulling the fighting newsies out of the room by their suspenders. Laura finally sat down in a chair beside Blink, blowing out a puff of air as she did.  
"Are they always that bothersome?" asked Carey.  
"Usually dey're worse. Dat's dem on a good day," Blink said.  
"Oh dear."  
"Dey may not be what you thought dey would, but dey're like family. Da newsies is all da family some of us have."  
Laura suddenly leaned forward and grabbed some paper and a pencil from her violin case. She scribbled a question on the paper and passed it to Blink.  
**Are all the newsies orphans?  
**"No. Some of dem are runaways and some of dem have families. Boots used ta shine shoes before his ma died. Den he became a newsie," Blink answered. Laura took the paper back and wrote something else.  
**Does every runaway and orphan become a newsie?  
**"Most of dem, but not all," said Crutchy. "Some of da newsies dat have families know more bout dat. Are youse lookin for someone?"  
She pointed to the next line.  
**Does anyone know what happened to a boy named Benjy Martin?  
**"Ise used ta live in da same tenement building as him. Da last Ise hoird of him, he died years ago when da building caught fire," Blink told her. "How do youse know him?"  
Laura took the paper back and wrote on it again before handing it back to Blink. He showed it to Crutchy.  
**He was my cousin, but he's been missing for near 12 years. He would be near 17 now.  
**The one-eyed boy shrugged. "Sorry, Ise don't know."  
Laura took the paper back sadly.  
A sudden knock on the wall made everyone jump. They all looked over to see none other than Spot Conlon, the King of Brooklyn, standing in the doorway. Laura ran over and jumped into his arms. Laughing, he spun her around in a circle. When they pulled apart, she looked at him and started signing.  
"_What are you doing here? I thought you were selling papers today. It's so good to see you without the bulls after you."  
_Spot laughed. "Fiddle! It's good ta see youse too. Ise hoird youse was here but Ise didn't know youse knew da Manhattan newsies."  
"_Only Blink and Crutchy. They asked us to see a flicker with them, but we ran into some trouble on the way."  
_"Dat sounds like da Fiddle Ise know, always runnin inta trouble. Ise heard from a boird youse busted Oscar Delancy's nose."  
Laura nodded vigorously. _"He called me dumb!"  
_Spot looked both impressed and angry. "Ise taught youse well."  
"Youse know Spot Conlon?" interrupted Crutchy, who had been following the conversation in silence until that point.  
"He taught youse how da punch like dat?" Blink asked over Crutchy.  
"Laura Mae helped me outta somethin years ago and ever since we've been stuck wit each other," explained Spot, throwing an arm around Laura and smiling.  
"_Didja miss me or is there a special reason for this visit?"  
_"Ise came ta tell youse wat Ise found out."  
Laura clapped her hands in delight. _"What did you find?"  
_"Youse remember da man wit da eye-patch youse told me bout?" Laura nodded. "Ise managed ta find out who dat man was. He's a criminal dat's wanted for kidnapping kids. Him and his partner attacked youse and your cousin and accidentally started a fire in your tenement building da night same night. He was neva caught."  
"_What about my cousin?"  
_He shook his head sadly. "Nobody knows wat happened ta him. Ise hoird he was seen wandering near da Brooklyn Bridge a few days afta, but nobody's seen him since. Ise wish Ise knew more."  
"_Thank you for finding out what you could."  
_Spot pulled Laura into a hug and held her there for a few moments.  
Blink suddenly turned to Crutchy. "Hey Crutchy, youse don't know wat happened ta your cousin, right? And Laura, youse don't remember wat happened ta youse, right?" Both teens nodded. "So wat if youse two is lookin for each other?"  
Laura and Crutchy looked at each other, a mixture of doubt and excitement in their eyes.  
"Think about it," Carey urged Laura. "What did your cousin look like?"  
"_He had curly brown hair and brown eyes. Come to think of it, Crutchy looks like my cousin might. He's the right age too."  
_"Ise thought of dat," Spot told Laura. "He's da right age and youse two look an awful lot alike."  
"And the last night Ise saw my cousin, we was attacked," Crutchy added. Quickly he filled Laura and Carey in on what he had told Blink a few weeks ago.  
"_But how do we know for sure?"  
_"Ise guess we don't," Spot said.  
Everyone sat around silently for several moments, just thinking. Suddenly Laura jumped up and reached into her bag.  
"What is she doing?" asked Carey.  
Laura turned around, holding something in her hands.  
"_I just thought of this. I have a picture of my cousin. My father took it a few days before…you know. He gave one to me and one to Benjy and told us to carry it with us always."  
_Crutchy ran out of the room-surprisingly fast for a crippled person-and up the stairs before Laura finished speaking. She kept talking as if he hadn't left.  
"_I kept mine in my violin bag so I wouldn't lose it. Benjy kept his at the end of his bed. He said it made him happy to know he would always have one friend in the world."  
_Crutchy came barrelling back into the room, holding something in his left hand. Holding it out, he said "Ise keep it at da end of my bed because it reminds me dat Ise would always have one friend."  
Everyone gathered around and looked at the identical pictures.  
"You look like twins," whispered Carey.  
"Dat's wat our mothers said," said Crutchy.  
"_Our fathers liked to tease us about spending so much time together."  
_"Ise don't believe it," Blink said in an awed voice.  
Crutchy dropped his crutch and grabbed Laura in a big hug. Laura let out a squeal of delight and returned the hug. Carey, Spot, and Blink looked at each other and shrugged before slipping quietly out of the room and letting the two cousins spend some time catching up.

_**Quick author's note-some things will be explained in later chapters. I'm kinda making this up as I go, so...yeah. If you notice any mistakes, please point them out and I will fix them. P**__**lease review and let me know what you think? I'll be your best friend forever and will do something special for you. (Like make a character just for you or write you a story or something.) Thank you!**_


	6. Memories of the Past

**_Disclaimer-I (sadly) don't own Newsies. For some reason they won't let me take over ownership from Disney. I also don't own any lyrics or anything to do with songs mentioned or used in this story. I do however own Laura and Carey and anything not seen in the movie._**

**_Quick author's note-I did use a Bible verse in here. (If you don't like it, don't read it.) I'm trying to be as historically accurate with the use of sign language and Bible translations as possible. If you notice a mistake, feel free to mention it and I will correct it._**

_**Ealasaid Una-You are my hero right now. You've reviewed on every chapter and it always makes me happy. I'm going to write you your own story with your own character in it one of these days. Thanks so much for taking time to read and review.**_

_**Okay, I'm done talking. Read on and review please!**_

* * *

Daniel Davidson had managed to survive on the streets for many years by taking jobs at racetracks and sleeping in stables or haylofts. When he turned 14, he had met a boy names Racetrack Higgins, who had brought him to the Newsboy Lodging House and helped him become a newsie. Being a newsie was a lot more fun than working in stables. Sure, it was hard. He had to miss meals sometimes. At first he always came home with black eyes and split lips. But it was worth it. The newsies had taught him how to fight and how to avoid them as much as possible. He always had a roof over his head. And he finally felt like he had a real family.  
The first night at the Lodging House, all the boys there had asked about his eye. Being self-conscious about it, he shrugged it off as much as possible. The next morning, Mr. Kloppman-the Lodging House owner who insisted on being called Kloppman-had woken him up with the rest of the newsies and presented him with an eye-patch to cover up his eye. Daniel was forever grateful to the older man. Because the eye-patch made him look like he was blinking and because he was small for his age, everyone took to calling him Kid Blink. It had stuck, even when he finally had a growth spurt and grew.

* * *

Torin cringed in fear as his mother stumbled through the door, drunk again. His father had died just a few months ago and his mother had turned to drink to make her feel better. It never helped her already short temper and she had been angry when she left.  
"Still here, boy?" she snarled. "Ise thought Ise told ya ta get out." She aimed the bottle in her hand at his head and threw it with deadly aim. It hit Torin square on the nose and blood started pouring out. He let out a cry of pain and grabbed his face.  
"Youse is nothin but a lazy, good-fer-nothin pile of Irish trash-"  
Torin tuned her out, having memorized his mother's favorite insults for him. He waited until his mother had turned away from him and snuck out the fire escape and began to run.

* * *

Laura dropped her basket of laundry as someone ran into her. They both tumbled to the ground and landed in a pile of arms and legs. She managed to untangle herself and sat up, taking in her once-clean laundry now covered in mud. She sighed and began to pick it up. Reaching for the last shirt, she realized the person she had run into was still sprawled on the ground, blood dripping from his nose. Laura set her basket down and managed to get the young boy on his feet. She draped his arm around her shoulder, picked up her basket again, and managed to get to St. Mary of Margaret's.

* * *

Torin opened his eyes and looked around at the unfamiliar room. His blue eyes settled on a girl with green-blue eyes and reddish-brown hair looking at him.  
"Where am I?" he asked.  
She smiled at him but didn't respond. Taking a cloth, she rubbed at a spot on his face.  
"Where am I?" he repeated. She still didn't respond as she left the room and came back with a tray of food, a pencil, and some sheets of paper. She set the tray in front of him and took the pencil and paper. He looked at the food and back at the girl, who was busy writing on the paper. Torin shrugged and began to eat.

* * *

Laura sat until the boy finished eating. When he was done, she handed him the paper she had been writing on and took the tray. She entered the room again to see the boy standing up and pacing the room. He turned when he heard her come in.  
"Youse can't hear?"  
She shook her head and pointed to the paper. He read it over again. Laura watched his mouth move as he struggled to read everything she had written. Sister Mary Margaret would be pleased to know she could understand almost everything he said. The boy looked up at her again and set the paper down. Hesitating only slightly, he began to speak to her in sign language.

* * *

Torin only hesitated a moment before he began to sign to his rescuer. She looked surprised, but he didn't stop.  
"_My name is Torin Conlon and I ran away from home because my mother did not want me at home."  
_"_What about your father?"  
_"_He died."  
_The girl looked sad for him. _"I'm sorry. They say both my parents have died."  
_"_I'm sorry too. What is your name?"  
_"_Laura Mae Martin. I only just learned how to sign."  
_"_You sign very well."  
_"_Thank you. Are you deaf too?"  
_"_No. My father was."  
_"_I play the violin."  
_They smiled at each other, already feeling at home with each other.

* * *

Ten-year-old Laura smiled as she crossed the Brooklyn Bridge. Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Abigail had been very kind to let her run an errand by herself today. Laura had explained that her friend Torin knew sign language and that it was nice to visit someone else that could talk to her in her own language, so the sisters let her go to Brooklyn to deliver a message and go see him for an hour. She hurried her steps, not wanting to miss a moment with her closest friend.  
Torin smiled as he saw Laura crossing the bridge. He tried to sell near the bridge as much as possible so that if Laura had the chance to come by, they could talk. Today Laura said she had an hour before she needed to go back. They decided to eat at the docks so they could watch the boats being unloaded. Some days when they did that, Torin would sell some of his papers and Laura would play her violin. They had figured out early on that if Laura started playing her violin, people would come over and leave some money in the case and Torin could manage to sell a few papers to the rich folks who felt sorry for them. Often times people would mistake them for brother and sister. This always made them laugh.  
"_Laura, what happened to your parents?"_ Torin asked that day. He was curious. Whenever he asked, Laura usually answered that she didn't know because she couldn't remember but that the sisters said her parents had died when she was 5. Torin sometimes asked to see if her memory had come back, but it never had.  
"_I don't remember,"_ the standard reply came.  
"_What's it feel like, not being able to remember?"  
_"_I never thought about it. I guess it feels strange."  
_"_Do you ever want to hurt the people that hurt you?"  
_"_At times. Then I think of what the Bible says."  
_"_What does it say?"  
_"_In the book of Romans, it says 'Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.'"  
_"_Does that make you feel better?"  
_"_I still am angry at the person that hurt me, but it reminds me that hurting them would not make me hurt less."  
_Torin thought about that as he ate the sandwich Laura had brought him. He sometimes wanted to hurt the man that had hurt her, but whenever he brought it up she mentioned something from the Bible. He hadn't grown up in faith at all and the fact that Laura had grown up in a Catholic orphanage. Laura had few of her early memories, but she could remember going to a local Evangelical Church with her family. A soft touch on his arm brought Torin back to the present.  
"_Are you feeling okay? Did I upset you?"  
_"_No. You just surprise me, that you can forgive someone you don't know."  
_"_It takes hard work. I can't do it on my own."  
_To the surprise of both children, Torin leaned over and kissed Laura on the lips. She tasted of blueberries and smelt of roses. He pulled back and watched her blush. She looked a little unsure of herself and self-consciously turned back to her sandwich. When all the food was gone, she turned back to him and smiled.  
"_I want to play a song for you. My Auntie Linda sang it to Benjy and I to help us sleep at night. I wrote the words for you, if you want to learn it.  
_Torin read the words on the paper she handed him. The words at the top of the page read Oh, How I Love Jesus. He followed the words as she began to play the slow, beautiful melody.

* * *

Torin and Laura walked back to the bridge holding hands. Torin's heart was soaring in his chest the whole way. He didn't understand the feeling, but he somehow knew it was because of the girl next to him. For her part, Laura felt happy everytime she came to see Torin. When they were together, she felt safe and secure. She knew that she wanted to keep the friendship of the boy next to her no matter what.  
When they got to the bridge, they dropped their hands and faced each other. A moment of silence passed between them, but it was the comfortable silence of two close friends.  
"_Thank you for the meal,"_ Torin finally said. Laura just nodded, looking at him so intently he squirmed. _"What?"  
_"_Thank you for being my friend,"_ she told him. _"You are like a brother to me."  
_His heart sank at those words, until she leaned in and kissed him on the lips again. He smiled as she turned and ran across the bridge. The smile stayed on his face for the rest of the day.

_**Hope you enjoyed it.**_

_**Please visit the review button? It's kinda lonely down there...it needs some friends and it would make me happy...:)**_


	7. First Dates and Promises

_**Panda Bear-I'm glad you liked it. It was sweet, wasn't it? If you keep reading, this chapter explains who likes who. I can't promise not to break Spot's heart, but I can promise that I'll keep it as unbroken as I can. I think the plot of the story will find Spot someone special though, so don't worry.**_

**_Disclaimer-I still don't own Newsies. (Tear.) But I will find a way somehow! One day I will own Newsies! But until then, I don't own anything you recognize. I do own Laura and Carey. Now stop reading this and read the story!_**

Crutchy woke up a few days later with a huge smile on his face. It was a beautiful day outside, he had found his cousin, and he was finally taking Carey to see a flicker that night. Blink had talked to Laura and they had decided to come along with Crutchy and Carey. Crutchy was fine with that arrangement, as he would get to spend time with a very pretty girl and still see his cousin, who would have someone to help her be understood. He rolled out of bed, grabbed his crutch, and hobbled to the washrooms. On the way, he past Specs and Blink, who were having some kind of disagreement.  
"Since when did you become me mudder?" Specs asked. Blink shoved Specs' face out of his face.  
"Ah, stop yer bawlin," Crutchy told them on the way past.  
"Pfft, who ast you?" several newies called after him.  
Crutchy just smiled and walked away.

* * *

"One time when we was little, we made a whole show for our parents. Laura played her violin and did a whole ballet," Crutchy told Carey as they walked the streets on the way to the flicker.  
Carey giggled. "Did you dance ballet with her?"  
"No," Crutchy blushed. "Ise don't do ballet. Ise did sing though."  
"Your family sounds wonderful."  
"They were. My fadder was a baker and my mudder did laundry and sewing for others."  
"What about Laura's mother and father?"  
"They were just as nice. They joked dat Laura and Ise were twins cause we look like each other and spent so much time together. Wat about youse?"  
"I never met them. I was found on the steps of the orphanage as a babe. Nobody knows anything about them."  
"Ise sorry." Crutchy grabbed Carey's hand and smiled at her. She smiled back and Crutchy's heart jumped.  
"Carey, if Ise asked youse ta…asked youse ta…" He stuttered to a stop.  
"Asked me to what?" She looked at him, waiting patiently for him to continue.  
"Would youse be my goirl?" Crutchy asked softly, turning a bright red.  
"What?"  
"Would youse be my goirl?" he repeated, a little bit louder.  
"Your girl?"  
"Say yes! Please say yes!" Blink hollered in the distance. "Ise can't stand his bawlin bout ya every night!"  
Crutchy turned an even brighter shade of red as Carey laughed and Laura smiled.  
"Remind me ta soak him later," Crutchy muttered.  
"I think you're cute when you blush," Carey told him.  
"Really?"  
"Truly. I would be honoured to be your girl." She kissed his cheek and he blushed even more. Carey laughed again as she took his hand and they kept walking.

* * *

"Ise glad dat's over." Laura looked at Blink quizzically.  
"Ise glad Crutchy asked Carey," he explained. "He wouldn't shut up bout her all day." Laura smiled and nodded her head in agreement. Carey had been the same way. She kept asking Laura if she thought Crutchy would ask Carey to be his girl. Laura was secretly hoping Blink would ask her to be his girl. She was afraid that he wouldn't ask because she was deaf and didn't speak.  
Blink, for his part, was wondering if he should ask Laura to be _his_ girl. He had asked Carey about Laura's past with Spot Conlon, but all he got from her was that Laura and Spot were close and that they may have been together when they were young. The thought didn't comfort Blink, knowing that the King of Brooklyn had a past with the girl he liked and most likely would soak any bum that dared hurt her. Blink was also unsure about being with a girl that couldn't hear. But for all that, he was almost sure that he loved Laura and would do anything to be with her.  
Blink shook himself out of his thoughts in time to catch Laura clapping her hands in amusement. He looked ahead to see Carey and Crutchy chasing some pigeons on the road.  
"Youse ever chased pigeons?" Blink asked. Laura shook her head. "Come on." He grabbed her hand and together they ran after their friends, laughing the whole time.

* * *

Spot watched in secret as Blink and Laura chased the birds with Crutchy and Carey. He was glad she had found Benjy and she seemed happy to be with Blink. But secretly, Spot was sad that his best friend cared for another boy and worried that she would be hurt. Spot recalled the time they were ten and he had kissed Laura. She had told him later he was like a brother, but he couldn't help hoping that would change. Spot had asked her to be his girl and she had said yes, but not long after she said it felt odd to be his girl because of the fact that they were so close.  
Spot heaved a sigh and shook his head. He made a mental note to have a talk with Kid Blink and remind him that Laura Mae was his friend and sister and that if Spot saw her cry, Blink's head would be busted.

* * *

"Youse two go without us," Blink whispered to Crutchy as they walked back from the theater. "Ise want ta ask Laura somethin."  
Crutchy lifted his eyebrows at Blink and smiled. Blink threw his hat at him but smiled back.  
"It ain't nothin like dat. Ise just want youse and Carey ta spent time together," Blink tried to explain.  
"Ise don't believe dat," Crutchy said.  
"Don't believe what?" Carey asked as she and Laura came over.  
"Dat Blink wants us ta walk together so's we can spend time together."  
"Is that so?"  
"_Maybe he wants to get rid of the lovebirds,"_ Laura joked. Carey laughed and playfully swatted her friend.  
"Wat'd she say?" Blink and Crutchy asked together.  
"Laura thinks Blink wants to get rid of the lovebirds."  
The two boys laughed. "Ise can't say no ta spending time wit one of my favorite goirls," Crutchy said as he grabbed Carey's hand. They walked away, leaving a curious Laura and nervous Blink alone.  
Once their friends had left, Laura looked at Blink curiously.  
"Ise wanted ta ask ya somethin bout youse and Spot."  
Laura quickly shook her head and made a few signs.  
"Spot…youse…no? Youse ain't Spot's goirl?" Blink guessed. Laura nodded. "Den would youse…" Blink trailed off, unsure if he was ready to finish the question. Laura cocked her head, staring at him. "Would youse…if youse wanted…and youse ain't…Spot…goirl?" Laura cocked her head even more, looking confused. Blink sighed and started again.  
"Would youse want ta-"  
"Move it along!" The sudden sound of another person startled Blink out of the moment. He sighed in frustration and told Laura they had to move. They started walking back, their hands brushing against each other. Blink grabbed it and squeezed, hoping she wouldn't pull away. To his surprise and happiness, she squeezed back. They walked along in silence for a time before Blink suddenly stopped and pulled Laura towards him. She stared at him, her lips slightly parted and her eyes looking into his. He forgot everything as he started to lean in.  
"Kid Blink," a voice sneered. "So is dis your goirl?"  
Blink groaned in frustration as Oscar and Morris Delancy materialized.  
"Wat do youse bummers want?" he asked sharply.  
"Ise didn't know youse had a goirl," Morris said, eyeing Laura.  
"Yeah, well Ise don't. Thanks ta youse." Blink muttered the last part quietly to himself. "We were just leaving ta meet someone, if youse'll excuse us." The brothers blocked the path as Blink tried to drag Laura away.  
"Who's da goirl?"  
"Nobody important. She ain't worth da time. Now Ise really need ta bring her home." Once again, Blink tried to leave and once again, he found his path blocked.  
"Hey, Ise think Ise remember her," Oscar said, a glimmer of recognition in his eyes. "Dat's da goirl dat busted my nose!"  
Laura had been following the conversation with her eyes. When Oscar looked at her with lust in his eyes and said he recognized her, she shook her arm free of Blink's hand. As Oscar tried to back her up against the wall, she pulled her arm back, punched him square on the nose again, and took off running.  
"Hey!" Oscar cried in surprise.  
"Dumb goirl!" Morris yelled after her.  
"Laura!" Blink called. He turned back to the Delancys. "You goons leave dat goirl alone or Ise'm gonna soak ya worse den dat!" He took off after Laura, hoping he would catch her in time. By the time he reached the Lodging House, he still hadn't spotted her.  
"Dat goirl is one fast bummer," he panted, walking up the stairs. Crutchy was alone in the room, sitting on his bunk smiling.  
"Hey Blink," the crippled boy chirped. "How was da walk?" Seeing the look on his friend's face, Crutchy frowned. "Wat happened?"  
"Ise almost kissed her."  
Crutchy shot to his feet. "Wat?!"  
Blink started pacing and told the whole story. "And now Ise can't find her and if Ise don't, Spot Conlon's gonna bust my head."  
"Why?"  
"Ise talked ta Carey bout Laura. Carey said Spot 'n Laura are close. Ise just figured dat if she went ta him and cried, he'd soak da scab dat hoirt her."  
"Why-"  
"Ise don't know!" Blink yelled. Crutchy sat back down, looking surprised and hurt. "Sorry," Blink said in a quieter voice. "Just…Ise told da Delancys dat she ain't worth da time so's dey'd leave her alone. Ise think she may take dat the wrong way and think Ise don't care bout her."  
"Do youse?"  
Blink flopped backwards onto the nearest bunk and sighed.  
"Oh."  
"Oh wat?" Blink sat back up.  
"Youse care bout her more den a little."  
"Ise almost kissed her. Ise think-"  
"Youse love her?'  
Blink groaned and fell backwards again.

* * *

Spot watched the sleeping figure on his bed. He gently leaned down and kissed her forehead. Her eyes fluttered and she sighed in her sleep, but didn't waken. His heart was glad that Blink hadn't kissed Laura, but still sad that his friend was upset because of it.  
Laura finally stirred, blinking her eyes to clear them.  
"_I'm here,"_ he signed to her. She looked relived and snuggled closer to him. Closing her eyes again, she fell back asleep, tired from spending the evening running and crying.  
"Ise'll always be here," he murmured, kissing the top of her head. "Ise promise."

_**Awwwe, isn't that cute? Now where have we heard that before?**_

_**The nice little review button down there is still lonely...it needs some friends. Please help it by hitting it and reviewing?**_


	8. Strike Action and Fights

_**Aargh you stupid Delanceys had to go and ruin the moment! *Promptly punches Oscar and Morris Laura-style***_

_****__**I had to post this review from Panda Bear. It made me laugh. Panda Bear, you're awesome. That review made my day. The Delanceys are good for ruining the moment, aren't they? I'd love to punch them Laura-style with you. P.S. I hope I'm updating soon enough for you.**_

_****__**Anyway, enough of my random ramblings. Read on and enjoy!**_

"They jacked up the price! You hear that Jack? Ten cents a hundred!" Blink ranted the next morning. He was already upset about the night before and hadn't slept well because of it. The raise in price didn't help his mood. "You know, it's bad enough that we gotta eat what we don't sell; now they jack up the price! Can you believe that?" He barely listened as the rest of the newsies vented their own anger, until David suggested they go on strike. Blink wasn't completely sold on the idea at first, but he was happy to feel like he was doing something. When Jack told them to get the word out, Blink was the first to volunteer.  
"Say Jack, I'll take Harlem," he called out, taking off. The whole time he kept his eyes opened for Laura, hoping to apologize for his actions.

* * *

"Hey Blink." Blink paused at the sound of Carey's voice, giving her the chance to catch up. "Have you seen Laura?"  
"Watta mean?" he asked as he resumed walking. "Ise thought she'd be with you."  
The strawberry blond shook her head. "No. She never returned last night. I assumed she was with you."  
"She was afta we left da flicker, but then she ran off."  
"Oh. Then maybe she's with Spot. Why'd she run off?"  
Blink mentally groaned at the thought of Laura running to Spot Conlon. "Things happened. Wat brings youse ta Harlem anyhow?"  
"Errands for the sisters. They also wanted me to find Laura if I could. Everyone's worried about her. What about you?"  
"Newsies are going on strike. We're lettin other boroughs know." Blink quickly explained the morning to her.  
"Oh. Well, if I can help at all, I'll be glad too. Laura too, I'm sure."  
Blink nodded, but silently doubted Laura would want to spend more time with him after last night.

* * *

Laura woke up the next morning and slowly took in her surroundings, trying to remember where she was and how she got there. The events of the night before started to come back as she climbed out of bed. Going to see the flickers, walking home with Blink, running into those brothers again, Blink saying she wasn't important. The last thought almost brought tears to her eyes again. As soon as she had blinked the tears away, she remembered ending up at the Brooklyn LH. But if this was the Brooklyn LH that meant…Laura didn't want to finish that thought. Thankfully, the flickering of the lights caught her attention and she turned to see Spot standing at the door. Laura ran over and jumped into his arms.  
"_Sleep well?"_ He asked when they had pulled apart.  
"_Did we…last night…?" _Laura looked so concerned Spot had to laugh. He tried his best to contain it but couldn't. Seeing his face, Laura grabbed the pillow from the bed and threw it at Spot with perfect aim.  
"Hey!" Spot threw the pillow back as Laura stuck her tongue out at him. He laughed, and then turned serious. _"I know you care about your reputation."_ He switched to sign language easily, speaking as he did so. _"I care about your reputation too. I moved you after you fell asleep and made sure everyone knew."  
_"_Thank you." _Laura looked so grateful, Spot was glad he had resisted his initial temptation to just leave her.  
"Spot!" Robin, one of Spot's birds and the only other girl besides Laura that was close to Spot, burst through the door, not seeming to care if she was interrupting anything. "'Hattan's goin on strike."  
Spot and Laura jumped apart like they were on fire. Laura set about making the bed as Spot turned to Robin, so named for her red hair.  
"Wat's dat?"  
"Da 'Hattan newsies is playin like dey 'bout ta strike. Dey're gettin da word out all ova. Harlem, Queen's, everywhere. Even dat gimp newsie. Wat's his name?"  
Laura turned around in time to catch the last part of Robin's sentence. _"He is NOT a gimp! Just because you-"  
_Spot jumped in quickly, telling Robin to meet him downstairs as he shoved the short redhead out the door. Turning back to Laura, he said "Youse know she don't mean nothin by it."  
"_She likes you."  
_"Robin?"  
"_She makes eyes at you everytime she looks at you. She's not very nice though."  
_Spot smiled. "What's dat Scripture youse keep tellin me ta remember?" he asked as he playfully swatted at her. She squirmed away, giggling.  
"_I know, I know. Be not overcome by evil." _She rolled her eyes at him.  
"Youse two have a lot in common. She lost her parents young too."  
"_I know. I promise I'll be nice. But she has to stop calling people gimps."  
_"Ise'll talk ta her," Spot promised as he left, closing the door softly behind him.

* * *

Laura crept quietly behind the stack of crates Spot called his throne. Peeking out behind it, she saw the leader of the Manhattan newsies and two other boys. The African-American one she vaguely recognized meeting last night and the other one was a new face to her. Laura repositioned herself so she could read everyone's lips, or at least have some idea what was going on.  
"Heya Boots, how's it rolling?"  
So that's his name, Laura thought to herself.  
"I got a couple of real good shooters," the boy replied, holding out his hand. Laura watched as Spot shot the marble at a target and the third Manhattan boy step back. Spot started the talk, asking about the rumours of a strike.  
"Jacky-boy's newsies is playin like dey're goin on strike."  
"Yeah well, we are," Jack said.  
"We're not playing. We are going on strike," the other boy spoke up.  
Laura watched as Spot got in his face. Spot always did like to be intimidating, Laura though.  
"What is this, Jacky-boy? Some kind of walking mouth?"  
"Yeah, but a mouth wit a brain."  
Laura followed the conversation for a while, laughing to herself when the walking mouth tried to use flattery on Spot. Laura knew that was one way to win Spot over; flatter him into thinking he was important and would be the most important part of the plan. When the Manhattan newsies finally left, Laura came out of her hiding spot and sat down next to Spot. They sat there quietly for a long time, just sitting and holding hands.

* * *

"Soak 'em!"  
Blink gladly ran back to the circulation center, happy once again to be doing something. Maybe soaking a few scabs would make him feel better. Jack had reported back that he had seen no sign of Laura nor had Spot mentioned seeing her. Blink watched as three boys dropped their papers. He was sort of hoping the next one would refuse to join just so he'd have something to punch. Just then the next person down the steps tried to push past. Blink happily stepped in his way, keeping him from leaving. The boy appeared to give up but suddenly tackled Jack. That caused all the newsies to explode into action, ripping up papers and tipping the wagons. Lost in the flurry of activity, Blink almost didn't hear the whistles blowing as the cops came. He took off running, not once looking back.

* * *

Crutchy happily sat there and destroyed as many papers as he could. Picking up a stack and throwing it, he laughed. He didn't notice when the others started to run away. The sound of Race's voice brought him back.  
"Crutchy! Scram! Scram!"  
Crutchy jumped down and started to run away. Seeing the cops in front of him, he turned around only to see the Delancy brothers behind him.  
"Heya fellows," Crutchy said nervously, hoping the friendly approach would spare him. His hopes were in vain. They kicked his crutch away and dragged him into an alley.  
_Not another alley,_ Crutchy thought to himself. _I'm starting to hate them._ He kept struggling and screaming, hoping someone would come and help him.  
"Dis is for dat cousin of yours!" Oscar yelled as he kicked at Crutchy's bum leg. Crutchy, not sure what his cousin had done this time, tried his hardest not to yell in pain. The next particularly well landed kick had him in tears.

* * *

"_Where's Benjy?"_ Laura asked Carey as she walked into the sitting room at St. Mary's. Carey looked at Blink, who was sitting next to her. Laura didn't even glance over.  
"Dat's why Ise came," Blink began nervously. He hoped Laura wouldn't be too angry with him, but considering the circumstances, he would understand if she was. "Ise think da Delancys got him."  
"_What do you mean the Delancys got him?"_ Laura angrily asked Blink. _"Since I wasn't important enough to you, you told them my cousin was?"  
_Blink looked to Carey for a translation. He flinched when he heard it. "Youse really think youse isn't important? When did Ise eva say dat?"  
Laura glared at him so angrily, he was surprised he didn't just run away or turn into a puddle on the floor. He flinched again and looked at the floor.  
"Youse hoird dat," he muttered.  
"She can't hear you," Carey whispered, leaning in close and pulling up his face to meet Laura's.  
"Yeah Ise said dat. But Ise said dat because da Delancy brudders ain't gonna leave youse alone if dey know how important youse are ta me."  
"_So instead they decided to attack my cousin because he can't defend himself. What a great idea!"  
_"Ise didn't know dey'd go afta him!" Blink yelled angrily. "Ise was tryin ta protect da goirl Ise love. Ise see now dat was a bad idea, so Ise just gonna leave. Ise'll show myself out!" He angrily stomped out the door.  
"_Good riddance!"_ Laura told Carey. _"I'm going to get him tonight. If you stop me…"_ With that, Laura stomped out in the opposite direction of Blink.  
"Well," Carey said out loud to the empty room. She shook her head. "If they don't kiss and make up soon I'll bust their heads in myself."

_**Strike time! Sometime in the next chapter or two we'll find out what Crutchy did to the sauerkraut. I've always wondered why they never said what he did? Anyone else ever wonder about that? Seize the day and review please?**_


	9. I love you

_**Panda Bear-Laura is still mad at Blink because Laura is a hothead with a temper that has a mind of her own and refuses to listen to reason when she's mad. I also kinda felt like adding more drama to the story. But seriously, I imagine Laura as the kind of person who, when she's really mad at someone, doesn't listen to them until she's good and ready (and a lot less mad at them.) I'm thinking Carey is right to bash their heads in too and I might have to add that in a chapter. Good news, because of your review I added a bit of backstory to Robin. I'm not completely sure if Spot will fall in love with Robin yet or not, as I'm feeling a bit torn about that. By the way, people who review on my stories regularly seriously make my day and will get a character or story made for them. It also helps me keep writing when you review and remind me to update soon. So thank you!  
**__**Okay, quick disclaimer, I used a bunch of quotes in the last chapter and this one. I don't own them or any characters that you see or hear in the movie. In fact, Disney will not let me own anything except Carey, Robin, and Laura. (Bummer...but I one day will own Newsies!) Okay, stop reading this and get to the good stuff below!**_**  
**

The next morning, Laura dragged Carey to the newsies square. Seeing her marching over, Blink walked up to her.  
"Hey-"  
Laura held up her hand and brushed past, not even looking at him. Blink sighed and followed her. She walked up to Jack and tapped his arm.  
"Heya. Youse Crutchy's cousin, right? Da one dat soaked Oscar Delancey?"  
Laura nodded. Carey stuck out her hand. "Her name's Laura and I'm Carey. You're Jack Kelly, right?"  
He nodded. "Wat can Ise do fer ya?"  
"_I want to get Benjy out of the Refuge."  
_Jack looked confused, so Carey quickly translated. "She wants to get her cousin from the Refuge. His name's Benjy, but you call him Crutchy." Carey showed him some of the signs Laura had used. Jack tried to repeat them. His expression of concentration and attempt at using sign language was so comical the girls couldn't help laughing.  
"Dere! Ise got it!" Jack finally cried in triumph. The girls laughed again and clapped. Jack stood there beaming for a moment before he frowned. "Wat did youse ask me again?"  
"We were asking about Benjy," Carey giggled.  
"Oh right." Jack turned serious and looked at Laura. "Davy and Ise went ta da Refuge last night. Crutchy said he ain't walkin so good. Da Delanceys kinda worked him ova. He wouldn't let us carry him out."  
Laura looked sad for a moment before it disappeared. She thanked Jack as she turned and headed off.

* * *

Blink watched Laura and Carey teach Jack some signs. Hoping to catch Laura before she left, he positioned himself in a place where he could watch her. When Laura started to walk away, he quickly ran over and stopped her.  
"Ise really am sorry. For everything. Ise neva meant-"  
"_Please stop. I'm not ready to hear it."_ Laura kept walking.  
"Ise didn't mean anything Ise said." Blink yelled after her retreating form. "Youse is da most important person ta me. Youse mean everything-"  
Carey put a soft hand on Blink's arm. "Let her be."  
Blink ran a hand through his hair. "She really is da most important person ta me."  
"I believe it. She does too, she just needs to figure it out herself."  
"Tell her…just tell her Ise'll be waitin when she's ready."  
"Okay. What are you doing anyway? Why is everyone gathered here?"  
"Wat?" Blink looked at Carey, distracted. "Oh, we're going ta…Ise'm not really sure."  
"We're going ta talk ta da scabbers," Racetrack said as he walked over to drag Blink away. Something in the tone of his voice made Carey shiver as she ran after Laura.

* * *

Laura brooded as she walked over to Brooklyn. She had been hurt when Blink said she wasn't important. She was used to people saying that just because she couldn't hear. The truth was, although she had been hurt, she believed he truly hadn't meant it. Blink must know what it felt like having people thinking less of him because he couldn't see out of one eye. He was also an honest person that would protect the people he cared about. But Laura wasn't ready to forgive him just yet. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone waving their arms and recognized Carey. She stopped and leaned over the edge of the bridge to wait.  
"I think Blink's in trouble."  
"_What?"  
_"I asked him what he was doing and one of the boys said they were going to talk to the people not striking."  
"_Kid Blink is a big boy. He can take care of himself."  
_Carey glanced sharply at her friend. "Look at me and say you don't care for him to my face," she challenged her friend.  
Laura looked at her friend. _"I don't care for him."  
_"If you don't admit you care for him _I'll_ be the one punching people in the nose!" she yelled in frustration. "I know you care so you had better march over there and do something or I'll start the head-busting!"  
"_Okay, fine. I'll do something."_ Laura walked with determination over the bridge.  
"What are you doing?" Carey hollered after her friend. "Manhattan's in the other direction."  
"_You told me to do something. I'm going to get Spot. He can make sure Blink doesn't get his head busted in."_

* * *

Robin watched as Laura marched through the Brooklyn Lodging House doors. Stepping in front of the other girl, she said "Where are youse goin?"  
Laura pointed to herself and to the door to Spot's room.  
"No," Robin shook her head. "Spot is ta be left alone. Spot's orders. Nobody gets through."  
Laura looked at Robin fiercely. She pointed to herself and the door again, then motioned for the other girl to move. When she didn't, Laura raised her fist, pointed at Robin's nose, and motioned for her to move again. Getting the message, Robin moved aside. Laura marched inside and knocked on the wall.  
Spot turned around and smiled. "Laura."  
"_I think the Manhattan newsies are going to fight the scabs."  
_"Fight da scabs?"  
"_Carey is worried that a fight is going to happen. She's concerned that Blink will get hurt."  
_"_Carey is concerned or you are?"  
_Laura glared at him. _"Fine. I am concerned. But you said you were concerned about them being serious about the strike. Well this fight they're planning should put those concerns to rest."  
_Spot looked surprised. _" I hid behind your crates."_ Laura silently stared at Spot, the plea for help in her eyes. _"Please Spot. For me?"  
_Spot sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Ise don't know, Fiddle. Ise still not sure."  
Laura angrily walked over to Spot's bed, picked up his slingshot and a marble, and walked over to the window. Opening it, she loaded the slingshot, aimed, and made a perfect shot. _"I care for Blink a lot and he is in danger of being hurt. If you don't march over there right now, I will use this slingshot on you."  
_Spot nodded. "Okay. Maybe dey is serious. Ise'll get me men together."  
Laura reached out a hand to stop Spot and pointed to herself.  
"No. Dis is no place for a goirl. Youse is stayin right here." Spot walked Laura to the bed and sat her down. "Ise ain't about ta see youse get hoirt cause of me." He turned to walk away.  
"Please."  
Spot stopped at the sound. He slowly turned and stared at Laura in shock.  
"Please," Laura repeated in a whisper. "For Benjy."  
Spot slowly nodded, unable to speak.

* * *

"Let's soak 'em for Crutchy!"  
Blink charged forward, ready to take out some of his anger. Too soon, they found out it was a trap. Some of the scabs had Jack trapped in a circle and no one could get in.  
"Never fear, Brooklyn is here!"  
"It's Brooklyn!" Blink looked towards the roof to see Spot Conlon and his newsies surrounding the building. He could just see a braided rope of hair that told him Laura must be hiding behind Spot. They loaded up their slingshots and started shooting. Blink was surprised to see Laura with a slingshot, hitting her mark almost every time. Blink threw a punch at a guy coming at him. He turned in time to see a big guy coming at Laura with a weapon. Blink had no idea how Laura had gotten on the ground, but he somehow wasn't surprised to see her take the guy on with no trouble. She caught his eye and motioned behind him. When Blink turned around to thank her, she had already vanished into the crowd.

* * *

Robin was a street rat whose parents had died and left her to the care of an aunt and uncle Robin didn't care for. When she had met Spot Conlon, he had taken her to Brooklyn and put her to work for him right away as a bird. He had nicknamed her Robin for her red hair and the fact that she chirped more than a bird. At the time, he was caught up with the girl he called Fiddle. Robin found out later that Fiddle was a girl living in an orphanage in Manhattan that could play the fiddle despite being mostly deaf and had saved Spot's life. He had liked her for a while, until she said he was more like a brother. Robin then tried to make her move on Spot, having liked him since he took her in.  
When he had come out the door to go to Manhattan, Robin went right up to him and kissed his cheek. She looked to the other girl to see her reaction, but was disappointed when there was none.  
"Dis is a bad idea, Spot. Ise don't want youse ta get hoirt."  
Spot pushed her away. "Ise doin dis as a favor ta Fiddle. Da 'Hattan newsies is fightin for her cousin in da Refuge and she asked me ta help."  
"Den let me come."  
"No. It ain't a place for goirls."  
"Den how come she gets ta go?"  
"I said so." Robin glared at him. "She's fightin for her cousin. Ise can't stop her but Ise can stop youse. Stay here. Please."  
Robin pouted but stayed put.

* * *

Laura had managed to avoid Blink during much of the fight due to the large number of bodies packed into one place. She had found herself watching him a few times when she had hidden herself in a corner to take out a few scabbers with her slingshot. The few times he had caught her watching, she felt a fluttering in her stomach that confused her.  
"_When did you get so good with a slingshot?"  
_Spot's sudden appearance didn't frighten her at all. She had long ago gotten used to it.  
"_Remember when we were younger and you thought your slingshot was missing?"  
_Spot nodded. Laura sat there and smiled until Spot put the pieces together. _"You mean…that was you?"  
_Laura giggled and nodded. Spot scratched his head. _"Well…at least now I know where it always went missing to."  
_"Laura." Both teens looked as Blink walked over, grabbed Laura, and kissed her full on the lips. Pulling back, he looked her straight in the eyes. "Ise love you. Youse is da most important person in da world ta me. I think youse is worth all da time in da world and if youse don't believe dat Ise love youse, den youse outta your mind." With that he turned and walked away, leaving behind a very shocked Laura.

_**Yay! Blink and Laura finally kiss...sort of...and Laura speaks! I'm a bit undecided if I want Spot to fall in love with Robin and have Blink with Laura or Laura with Spot, so please help me out by reviewing and tell me what you think. (Unless the same two people are the only ones reviewing...then I know what they think so I'll just figure it out...) But either way please review. It makes my day so much...**_


	10. What? I love you too?

_**Tif S, you seriously made my day. I got 5 emails at the same time saying you reviewed and stuff and it made me so happy. Thank you so much. :)**_

_**Panda Bear-it was 2 in the morning. I have terrible sleeping habits at the moment but for some reason that seems to be half the reason this story is getting done. Your reviews always make me smile. Yes, Blink finally kisses Laura. Maybe she'll finally stop being such a hothead and kiss him back. :)**_

_**At this point do I even need to say I don't own any Newsies characters or quotes? Well, just in case, I don't own anything from the movie that you read in this chapter. However I do own Laura, Carey, and Robin, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Oh, and I own the sisters from the orphanage. (And that too...)**_

Crutchy was happy that Jack and Davy had tried to get him out of the Refuge. It was nice to know he had friends. But Crutchy also had his pride and his pride refused to allow him to be carried out or rescued. Besides, if he couldn't even walk out of the Refuge, what would Carey think of him then? Crutchy sighed as he thought about that. Had he been mad to ask out a girl like Carey? She was kind and sweet, but she could walk without help. Would she really want to be his girl once she found out he was in jail and couldn't even get himself out? Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he hauled himself off his bed at the Refuge and hobbled to Snyder's door.

* * *

At Tibby's the newsies had gathered around a table as Denton showed them their picture. Carey looked at Laura, who was sitting in the back of the restaurant watching the boys.  
"What's wrong?" she asked, seeing the distracted look on her friend's face. Laura just waved her hand.  
"So what. You get your picture in the papes, so what's that get you, huh?" Skittery asked.  
"That boy is the glummest boy I have ever met," Carey muttered. "I want to paint a smile on his face one of these days." Laura sighed and put her chin on her arms, staring at Blink.  
"Glum and dumb," Racetrack said, smacking Skittery. "What's the matta with you? You get your picture in the papes, you're famous. You're famous, you get anything you want. That's what so great about New York!" The boys started yelling out what they would get with enough money.  
"A pair of new shoes with matching laces."  
"A permanent box at the Sheepshead races."  
"A porcelain tub with boilin water," Spot said. Laura smiled at that. Spot was forever complaining about using a tin tub with cold water, even though he insisted the other newsies clean themselves first.  
"A Saturday night with the mayor's daughter," Blink said. Several newsies clapped his shoulder and laughed. Catching Laura's eye, he saw her looking ready to cry. She stood abruptly and walked out, leaving her mostly uneaten meal and a confused Carey behind. Blink put it out of his mind for the time and focused on the present, where Jack was saying they should plan a rally.  
"We can have it at Irving Hall," Jack was saying.  
"Ise know a goirl dat can play da fiddle for us," Spot said right away. "Ise'll ask her tonight."  
"Who?" Jack wanted to know.  
"Laura."  
"Laura?"  
"Da goirl dat was talkin ta ya dis morning," Blink piped up.  
"Da deaf one?" Spot and Blink nodded. "She can play da fiddle?" Jack asked in surprise.  
"Yeah, dat and a lot of other things," Spot said, trying not to get angry at Jack. "Youse should know dat people can surprise ya if youse let dem."  
Blink didn't miss the glace Spot threw his way. He silently nodded his agreement, not wanting to get on Spot's bad side.

* * *

Carey ran after Laura, still surprised at how fast her friend could run. Carey had seen it a number of times and it never failed to surprise her. Finally catching up, Carey grabbed Laura's shoulder and spun her around.  
"What was that?" she demanded.  
"_Nothing."_ Laura roughly swiped her hand across her eyes, wiping away the tears that were starting to fall.  
Carey glared at her friend and stomped her foot in frustration. "If you don't stop crying over that boy and kiss him already I'm going to bust your head! I wish I could make you see how in love with you that boy is-"  
"_He already did kiss me! That's the problem. He kissed me after that fight and then turned around and said if he was rich he wants a Saturday night with the mayor's daughter. Not me, the mayor's daughter! If you still think he loves me, you are several notes short of an opera!"_ Laura planted her hands on her hips and stared at Carey, daring her to fight back.  
"At least you can see the boy you care about!" Carey returned right away. "The boy I care about is in jail because he stood up for what he believes in. That same boy happens to be your cousin, who would bust your head in with his own crutch if he saw you right now."  
"_More like bust the boy's head in."  
_"He would bust your head in and you know it! Now march your rear back to that restaurant right now and kiss the boy before I make you!" Carey matched Laura's stance as both of them stood there, each daring the other to make the first move. Their staring contest was finally interrupted by Spot and Blink running up.  
"Laura, Ise…wat's…" Spot said. Quickly noting the angry look on both girls' face, he said "Neva mind, Ise don't wanna ask. Laura, Ise need your help. Can youse play at da rally we're havin?"  
"_Will he be there?"_ She pointed to Blink.  
Spot followed her finger. "He's part of da strike."  
"_No."  
_"For me?"  
Laura sighed and finally moved her stare from Carey to Spot. She looked at him for a long moment. _"Only this time. But you owe me."_ She turned sharply on her heel and walked away briskly.  
"Wat…?" Blink asked, turning to Carey, who looked at him. He met her stare evenly, not looking away. "Wat?"  
"Really, Blink? The mayor's daughter?"  
He looked startled. "Ise-"  
"Now would be a good time to shut up," Carey snapped. "Find a way to fix this before I do." Carey copied Laura's previous movements and flounced after her friend.  
"Goirls," Blink muttered, shaking his head. Spot nodded his agreement with a laugh.

* * *

"Heya Mr. Snyder. How was your supper?" Crutchy asked cheerfully that night as he came to clear Snyder's plate. "Hey! That's Jack. He looks just like himself."  
"You know this boy?" Snyder stood up.  
"No," Crutchy said quickly, realizing what he just said. He didn't like the look in the man's eyes.  
"You have a very famous friend, this Jack. Do you know where he lives?"  
"I never heard of him, honest! It's this brain of mine, it's always making mistakes. It's got a mind of its own." He backtracked fast, hoping it would save his friend. Snyder didn't look convinced. Crutchy turned away sadly "Can I get you anything else, Mr. Snyder? Good bye Mr. Snyder." He walked out of the office and looked sadly at Snyder. He said a silent prayer for Jack, hoping his friend would be okay. As Crutchy dropped the tray off, he realized he hadn't said a prayer in 12 years. The same amount of his that his cousin had been missing. Crutchy had to smile at the coincidence. Laura did have a way of making people see things differently even when they didn't want to.

* * *

Blink stood at the door of the orphanage, not sure if he wanted to knock and possibly face an angry Laura. Just as he raised a fist to knock, the door swung open to reveal one of the sisters. She looked startled for a moment before regaining her composure and invited him in.  
"Here's the sitting room," she said as they walked in. "Now, who was it you came to see?"  
Blink gulped and twisted his hat in his hands. "Is…Is Laura Mae here?"  
"Yes, of course. I'll fetch her. What did you say your name was?"  
"Blink. Kid Blink."  
The sister looked at him oddly before nodding once and walking out. Blink looked at his surroundings, taking in the tall bookshelves around the room and the piano in the corner with several sheets of music sitting on it. He briefly wondered if Laura also played the piano.  
"Here she is," the sister said brightly, entering the room again with Carey and Laura behind her.  
"_Thank you, Sister Abigail."  
_The three teens watched in silence as Sister Abigail left. When they were alone, Laura turned to glare at Blink.  
"Ise was jokin. About da mayor's daughter, Ise was jokin. Ise didn't mean it. It's a joke wit da boys. Ise really do love youse."  
"Kiss her already," Carey said. Laura turned her stare to Carey.  
"Do youse mind?" Blink asked, swinging his stare from Laura to Carey.  
"I think I hear my name being called." Carey hopped up and quickly walked to the doorway.  
Blink turned back to Laura. He leaned forward so he could grab her hand. "Ise don't care for another goirl da way Ise care for youse. If youse can't see dat, youse must be blind and deaf." Laura started to draw back. Blink quickly apologized. "Sorry! Ise sorry! Ise just don't know any other way ta say Ise love you."  
"Kiss her," Carey muttered from the doorway, glaring at the couple in front of her. They didn't respond. "Learn her favorite poem. Learn sign language. Kiss her." She looked pointedly at them as they continued to ignore her.  
Blink looked at Laura nervously. "Ise…got nothin. Ise don't know what else ta say-" He was interrupted by Laura as she leaned in and kissed him briefly before pulling away.  
"I'm just going to back out now," Carey murmured to herself.  
Blink smiled they watched Carey walk out. Looking at each other, they burst out laughing. Blink's heart soared as he leaned in to kiss her again.

* * *

Robin sat on Spot's bed, waiting for him to return from Manhattan. He was sure taking a long time, she thought to herself. Looking around for something to keep herself occupied, she noticed a drawing sitting on the floor near the bed. Picking it up, she saw it was a picture of the other girl. Fiddle, Robin thought. Laura Mae. Whichever one her name is. It was a very good drawing, one of her looking in the distance as she played her violin. Tears came to Robin's eyes and she quickly wiped them away. Spot Conlon only liked girls that didn't cry, she told herself. More tears came, despite her attempts to stop them.  
Who was she kidding? Spot Conlon would never like Robin because Robin could never be like Laura Mae. Robin was loud, rough, average looking, short-tempered, and so tough most people turned and ran after only a few words. Laura Mae was quiet, gentle, pretty, caring, talented, and lovable. In short, everything Robin was not. Including, it seemed, in love with Spot Conlon. Robin had asked around about Laura. Everyone she had asked only had good things to say about her and that she had caught the eye of that Manhattan newsie with one eye.  
"Are youse crying?" Spot's voice startled Robin from her thoughts. Roughly wiping away any remaining tears, Robin shook her head. More tears falling spoke the truth. Spot came over and gently wrapped her in his arms. He rested his head on the short, red-headed girl's head, quietly whispering to her until she stopped crying. When the tears finally slowed down, Robin pulled away and turned in embarrassment.  
"Robin, wat happened?"  
"Ise fell in love wit you," she whispered so quietly Spot wasn't sure if she had even spoken.  
"Wat?"  
"Ise fell in love wit you, dat's wat," Robin repeated in a louder voice. "But youse like dat Fiddle goirl and…and Ise want ta hate her but she makes it hard ta do dat…" Robin trailed off, hoping Spot wouldn't be mad. She was surprised to hear him laugh. "Wat?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes at him and planting her hands on her hips.  
"Youse," he said when he stopped laughing long enough to catch his breath. "Youse is funny when youse get woirked up." Robin allowed a slight smile to cross her face. She had to admit it was sometimes funny to see her face when she started laying into a person. She suddenly became aware that Spot was just looking at her with a strange expression on his face. She looked around uncomfortably.  
"Stop starin like dat," she finally muttered. "It's not normal."  
"Youse know youse is pretty," he responded. Taken aback, Robin could only vaguely nod. "Youse are. Ise neva noticed before, but youse really grown up. Ise should pay more attention." He studied her for a while, a half-smile on his lips the whole time.  
"Wat is youse sayin?"  
"Ise think Ise is startin ta fall for ya," he finally said. That was all it took for Robin to run into Spot's arms and kiss him for all she was worth.

_**Yay, another chapter! Stay tuned...n**__**ext chapter we find out what happens to the sauerkraut.**_

_****__**Reviews make me so happy I write another chapter...(hint hint wink wink nudge nudge...)**_


	11. The Rally

_**So this was written really late at night/early in the morning when my brain felt zombie-fied so sorry in advance about any spelling mistakes or anything.**_

_**Panda Bear-Yes, two happy couples! Number three will be coming alone as soon as I can make it. I am a bit crazy for staying up so late. I really need to change that. Usually the earliest I have to wake up is 7, which is nice. What do you do that you have to be up so insanely early? I'm glad I could cheer you up at the dentist's office and that you have no cavities. As a reward (and picking up on your hint) here's another chapter with songs included.**_

_**My brain can't think of any clever disclaimers. Insert clever I-don't-own-Newsies-songs-lyrics-anything-but-my-O C's disclaimer here.**_

"Ise think Ise is startin ta fall for ya," he finally said. That was all it took for Robin to run into Spot's arms and kiss him for all she was worth. Too startled to respond at first, he just stood there before finally kissing her back.  
"So…" Spot said when they pulled apart.  
"Ise sorry. Ise don't know what dat was." Robin blushed and looked at the ground.  
"Ise think dat was youse tellin me how youse feel."  
"Youse didn't mind?"  
"No. In fact, Ise would be honored if youse would go ta da rally wit me tonight as my goirl."  
"Ise would be glad," Robin responded with a laugh.

* * *

Laura nervously ran her brush through her hair again before tying it up with a blue bow. She looked in the mirror one last time before turning to Carey.  
"You look beautiful."  
"_You can still come."  
_Carey smiled but shook her head. "Tonight is for you and Blink."  
"_What if it doesn't go well? I need someone there to bust my head if we start fighting."_ Laura looked so distressed Carey couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sure it will be fine. You are going to be performing. That should keep you two lovebirds from fighting for a little while, anyway."  
Laura turned back to look in the mirror again, staring at her reflection. Slowly, a smile came over her face. If Blink had liked her before, just wait until he saw her tonight.

* * *

Blink stared as he watched Laura silently slip out the door. She had on a sky-blue dress with a matching bow in her long hair. One hand clutched her violin case and the other nervously held her skirt. He smiled as she walked up and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.  
Pulling back to look at her face, he joked "Maybe we's can get through da night witout fightin." She grabbed his hand, shaking her head. They walked in complete silence to Irving Hall, holding hands the whole way.  
Jack was already on stage talking to Medda and Spot. Laura was slightly surprised to see Robin standing next to Spot and holding his hand. She briefly wondered when that had happened, then put it from her mind.  
"_Are you nervous about playing tonight?"_ Spot asked as he walked up with Robin.  
"_Scared silly. Why did I let you talk me into this?"  
_He laughed. _"You'll do fine."  
_"_When do I play?"  
_"_Jack will say a few words and Medda will introduce you. Then you come on and play a few songs. I will be with you until you go on."_ He wrapped Laura in a quick hug. Laura noticed a flash of jealousy cross Robin's face before she managed to quickly hide it.  
"_You and Robin?"  
_"_Earlier today. I'll tell you the story tonight."_

* * *

Laura peeked out from behind the curtain. The theatre was beginning to fill with teenagers. The only other girls in the crowd of boys were Robin and a girl Laura didn't know. She couldn't help noticing the nice dress the other girl was wearing. Laura assumed she was from a richer family and was friends with one of the newsies. She drew her head back in and picked up her violin. Shuffling through her music, she made a mental list of songs she would play. A shadow falling over her caused her to look up and see Spot with Jack Kelly and a woman.  
"You must be Laura Mae," the woman said.  
Laura ignored her. _"Spot, I can't do this. I'm not ready. I've never performed for anyone but my parents and that was-"  
_"Laura, Ise believe in youse," Spot interrupted. "Youse'll be fine. Now, youse know Jack Kelly already. And dis is Medda Larkson, da Swedish Meadowlark." He pointed to the woman.  
"Da greatest star on da vaudeville stage," Jack added. Turning to Medda, he added "Laura don't hear so good, so make sure ta look at her when youse talk or get Spot."  
"How do you do?" Medda asked with a bow. "I've heard a great deal about you from Spot. He says you are the best fiddler this side of the bridge."  
"_Spot has a way of improving the truth."_ Laura jabbed Spot's arm.  
"Naw, dat's Cowboy's job. Ise only tell da truth." Spot jabbed Laura back, which led to a small wrestling match. Medda laughed at the pair.  
"Well, I look forward to hearing you play."  
"_Thank you."  
_"Laura, Ise know youse can do dis. Ise hoird youse play and youse is good. Dey'll love you."  
"_What if they don't?"  
_"Ise'll bust dere heads." Laura smiled and shook her head.  
"…Miss Laura Mae Martin!" Medda's voice came filtering backstage.  
"Dat's youse," Spot said. "Ise'll be in da front row watchin. Play good." With that, he shoved Laura towards the curtain and went to find his seat. Laura walked through the curtain and looked around. Seeing all the eyes on her, she almost turned around and ran offstage. Catching her eye, Spot smiled at her, and then nodded at the balcony, where Blink was hanging off. Blink waved his hat at her. Taking a deep breathe, Laura put her bow on her violin and drew it across the strings in a lively tune that had the newsies tapping their feet.

* * *

Blink watched as Laura finished her final song and took a bow the thunderous applause. He felt a moment of sorrow that she couldn't hear how much everyone liked her playing, but it quickly passed as Jack, David, and Spot took the stage.  
"So, we've come a long way," he started when everyone had quieted down, "but we ain't there yet and maybe it's only gonna get tougher from now on. But that's fine, we'll just get tougher with it. But also, we gotta get smart and start listening to my pal David, who says 'stop soakin' the scabs.'"  
"What are we supposed to do to the bums? Kiss 'em?" Racetrack asked as everyone laughed.  
"Any scab I see I soak 'em. Period." Spot added.  
"No, no. That's what they want us to do. If we get violent, it's just playing into their hands." David told them.  
"Hey, look. They're gonna be playing with my hands, alright. 'Cuz it ain't what they say, it's what we say. And nobody ain't gonna listen to us unless we make 'em." Laura shook her head at Spot as everyone started arguing among themselves. _**No**_, she thought. _**Listen to him Spot. Listen to him.  
**_"You got no brains," Jack yelled. "Why we starting to fight each other? It's just what the big shots wanna see. That we're street rats! Street rats with no brains. No respect for nothing, including ourselves! So, here's how it's gonna be. If we don't act together, then we're nothing. If we don't stick together, then we're nothing. And if we can't even trust each other, then we're nothing."  
"Tell 'em Jack!" Blink yelled from the balcony.  
"So, what's it gonna be?" Jack asked. Right away Race said they were with him. Turning to Spot, he asked "So, what about you, Spot?"  
Spot looked into the crowd. Laura, who had come out from backstage, nodded her head at Spot, silently telling him to agree. Robin, sitting next to Laura also nodded, calling out "Listen ta him, Spot!"  
"I say…" he said slowly, "that what you…say is what I say."  
The two leaders spit-shook their hands as Medda came on stage as the newsies jumped to their feet and cheered.

* * *

Spot came off the stage and sat down between Laura and Robin. Robin immediately leaned in and kissed Spot's cheek. Spot kissed her back and watched Medda, singing with her, Robin joining in. Laura just looked around, watching as Blink joined in the excitement, waving his hat around and cheering.  
"High times, hard times  
Sometimes the living is sweet  
And sometimes there's nothing to eat  
But I always land on my feet."  
Laura smiled as Blink hung off the balcony with one arm. Catching Spot's eye, she pointed in Blink's direction and Spot shared in her amusement. She turned back to Medda, making a note to see if Medda could teach her some new songs to play.  
"So when there's dry times  
I wait for high times and then  
I put on my best  
And I stick out my chest  
And I'm off to the races again!"  
Blink somehow managed to get from the balcony onto the stage. Looking at Racetrack, they both took an arm on either side of Medda and started dancing with her.  
"Oh… High times, hard times  
Sometimes the living is sweet  
And sometimes there's nothing to eat  
But I always land on my feet  
So when there's dry times  
I wait for high times and then  
I put on my best  
And I stick out my chest  
And I'm off to the races again!"  
Blink grabbed Laura out of her chair and dragged her on the stage with a laugh. She smiled as she spun around and kept dancing with the crowd around her.  
"I put on my best!"  
"I put on my best!  
"And I stick out my chest!"  
"And I sticks out my chest!"  
"And I'm off!"  
"And I'm off!"  
"And I'm off!"  
"To the races again!"

* * *

As everyone cheered, Laura looked around and saw Snyder entering the building. Remembering some of the Manhattan newsies talking about him (not very nicely, if she remembered correctly), she went over to Spot and pointed him out. Spot quickly tried to drag Robin out of the building, although she refused to go without a fight.  
In all the confusion that ensued when the whistle blew, Blink found Laura looking a little lost. Grabbing her shoulders and turning her around, he yelled "Where's Spot?"  
She pointed behind him, where Spot was trying to drag a screaming Robin out. Holding Laura's hand, Blink dragged her over to Spot, who finally let Robin go and turned to Laura.  
"_Quick Laura, get out. It's the Crib. If you get caught, you could go to jail."  
_"Listen ta him Laura. Ise don't want youse ta get hoirt. Go wit Sarah." Seeing one of the younger newsies in trouble, Blink took off after that, leaving Laura with Spot.  
"_What about you?"  
_"_I'll stay and fight."  
_"_Then so am I."_ She stared at Spot with a defiant look on her face, daring him to make her leave.  
"Fiddle, Ise only gonna say dis once. Ise want youse ta leave now! If youse don't, Ise had nothin da do wit dat and Ise ain't responsible for anythin dat happens ta ya." She nodded and turned to look at Blink. She was surprised to see him in a crowd of newsies helping the younger ones get out of the fight.  
"_If Blink is going to fight, then I'm staying to help. You can't stop me!" _With that, Laura took off into the crowd, joining a crowd of newsies in front of Medda's swing in an attempt to stop Snyder. The defiant look never left her face as she stared him down. Pulling out a slingshot, she aimed and starting firing into the crowd.

* * *

Having managed to get some of the youngest newsies away from the cops and the crib, Blink went looking for Jack, running into him on the stairs.  
"You all right Jack?" he asked. Not waiting for an answer, he started pulling his friend. "Dis way!"  
They managed to get outside, only to find they were surrounded by cops on horses. The two boys turned around to run back inside and were stopped when Jack was grabbed from behind. Blink tackled the man from his horse to the ground, yelling at Jack to leave it. Standing up again, Blink was surprised to see another cop, who took advantage of that surprise to throw a punch that knocked the teen down, allowing him to be dragged away.  
Laura happened to run out of the building, slingshot in hand, in time to see Blink take a punch to the face. She quickly loaded her slingshot and hit one of the cops dragging him away. He let go of the arm he was holding to grab his neck. Laura ran at him and tackled him to the ground, throwing punches left and right. The cop still holding Blink's arm grabbed the other arm, keeping Blink captive. He fought as hard as he could to get away, to no avail. He could only watch in helplessness as the Delancey brothers came up behind Laura with clubs, enjoying the moment too much for Blink's liking. Seeing Laura slumped on the ground knocked out, he starting yelling up a storm, finally being silenced by a blow to the head that brought total darkness.

_**Yeah, that was long. I had to fit everything in. I'll stop talking now so you can review...**_


	12. When the Dust Settles

_**Panda Bear-Yes, the Delanceys are evil. Although Laura did punch Oscar twice, so she did kinda deserve it. Not with a club though...okay yeah, the Delanceys are just plain evil! Darn them for sure. I vote we do some time travelling and knock them out with clubs. Anyway, this chapter will explain a bit about what happened to Robin. She was kicking and screaming up a storm, which is why even Spot couldn't keep her out. I'm glad you enjoyed the song. By the way, since you've regularly reviewed for a while now, I'm going to write you a story. Let me know any details you want to be in the story and any characters. I'd hate to wake up that early, but I guess getting out of school at 1:45 would be a good deal. And who knows, maybe you're related to one of the Newsis!**_

Ealasaid Una and Tif. S, you two also get a story or a character made for you guys. PM me details and I will get to work on that.

Disclaimer-Okay, so Disney refuses to let me own Newsies for some reason. They also refused to let me own any quotes I used. Until I can knock some sense into the crazy people at Disney, I only own Carey, Laura, and Robin. Now go enjoy all the good stuff below!

* * *

Robin opened her eyes and blinked, trying to figure out where she was and how she had gotten there. Sitting up to get a better look around, she saw a figure in a blue dress sprawled on the ground, hair obscuring the face from Robin's view. Suddenly, the events of last night came flooding back to Robin's mind. Kissing Spot; going to the rally with him; Snyder coming to the rally; fighting with Spot to stay and help fight; trying to take on one of the cops and being thrown in jail. Robin remembered Spot getting her halfway out the door before Laura and that one-eyed boy had interrupted them. She was glad; without them coming over when they did, Robin wouldn't have gotten away. She had gotten tired of screaming and kicking at Spot and hadn't wanted to hurt him anyway. A flash of pain shot through Robin's head, reminding her of the blow to the head from the cop that had landed her in jail. The figure lying on the ground finally stirred, groaning in pain as it tried to sit up. Robin quickly scooted over to help.

* * *

Laura groaned as her eyes opened to a cold stone floor and hair in her eyes. Her head hurt like heck and she could feel a big lump on the back of her head. Laura tried to sit up but as soon as she lifted her head, she felt sick to her stomach. Soft hands guided her slowly to a sitting position. She leaned over until her stomach settled a bit before looking up to thank her helper. Robin's bright blue eyes stared at her in concern. Laura was briefly startled, but rapidly gained enough composure to sign a quick thank you.  
"Are youse okay?" Robin asked, feeling very concerned. Laura waved her hand, bending over again to ward off another wave of sickness. Robin looked up as the jail doors rattled open.  
"Come with me," the man at the door said.  
"Dis goirl needs help," Robin snapped back. "She's hoirt and if she don't-"  
"Come along." The man ignored the plea for help and reached down to grab Laura's arm. She looked up and confusion spread across her face. Robin shrugged when Laura turned to her, wishing she had paid more attention when Spot had attempted to teach her sign language.  
"He says go wit him." A questioning look spread on Laura's face and Robin lifted her shoulders again. "Ise don't know." Robin helped Laura up and they silently followed the man out of the cell. This couldn't mean good news.

* * *

"Hey yer honor, I object!" Spot said the next morning in court.  
"On what grounds?"  
"On the grounds of Brooklyn, yer honor!"  
Blink had to laugh at that. His laughter quickly died on his lips when the judge told them the punishment.  
"I fine each of you $5 or two weeks confinement in the House of Refuge."  
"Whoa. We ain't got five bucks. We don't even got five cents. Hey, yer honor, how 'bout I roll you for it. Double or nothing?"  
"Move along, move along." The judge didn't look amused as he shooed them off to the side.  
"What do you mean it never happened?" Race asked Denton at Tibby's. "You were there!"  
"You wrote it!" Blink added.  
"It's not in the papers, it never happened. The owners decreed it not be in the papers, therefore…" Denton told them. "I came to tell you fella goodbye."  
"What happened? Did you get fired or something?" asked David.  
"No, I got reassigned back to my old job as the Sun's ace war correspondent."  
Blink stopped paying attention, until he heard David speak. "We get Jack out of the Refuge tonight. From now on, we trust no one but the newsies."

* * *

Spot walked out of the restaurant as Denton walked in. He refused to listen any man who made promises he couldn't keep. Aimlessly wandering to the bridge, Spot suddenly wondered what had happened to Robin and Laura during the rally. He had lost track of them during the fight. He furrowed his brow, trying to remember the last time he had seen them. Was it before or after the cop had grabbed him?  
"Spot!"  
"Ahhh!" Spot cried out as Carey ran up to him and grabbed his elbow.  
"Sorry," she panted.  
He noticed the look on her face. "Wat happened?"  
"Laura. She…she's…in jail."  
"Wat? Wat happened?"  
"I don't know. Someone came to St. Mary's a-a-and-and asked if…if anybody…anybody knew sign language and…" Carey stuttered to a stop and Spot angrily looked around for something to take his anger out on. A nearby wall sufficed, though it made his foot hurt.  
"Was dere another goirl wit her?"  
"Yes. She was short and had red hair. I think her name was Bridget…"  
"Robin." Spot let out a heavy breath, running his hands through his hair. "Wat happened da dem?"  
"Bridget-Robin? Robin was sentenced to the Refuge for two weeks."  
"Laura?"  
Carey didn't answer as she leaned over the edge of the bridge. Spot saw her small shoulders shaking. His heart sank. That could only mean bad news.  
"Is…is she…is she…?"  
"Laura's alive, but she didn't look so good. Her head-it had a huge bump on it and I thought there was some blood in her hair. She was so pale." Carey took a shuttering breath. "The judge allowed her to be taken to hospital, but after she either has to pay a fine of $5 or go to the Refuge two weeks."  
"Can't youse just ask dose sisters ta pay?"  
"They won't. The cops said she was part of the rally; that she fought and resisted arrest. The sisters are furious. They won't pay the fine for her and they say she can't come back. Spot, she won't last there! She won't!"  
Spot absently patted Carey's shoulder in a comforting manner as she cried, his mind already forming a plan.

* * *

Blink nearly punched the nearest wall when Spot told him about Laura.  
"Youse was supposed ta protect her! Youse were supposed ta get her outta dere and look wat happened!"  
"It ain't my fault, Kid! Youse don't know Laura Mae like Ise do. If she gets an idea in her head, ain't a person out dere dat can stop her. She don't back away from fights. Ise've had my fair share of fights wit her and she's too stubborn ta listen ta reason when she gets woirked up!"  
"Dat's no reason!" Blink snarled, his face twisting in anger. "She's my goirl and Ise trusted youse ta protect her!"  
"Ise known her longer!" Spot snarled back, his own face contorting and temper rising.  
"Dat's-"  
"No reason, Ise know." He started pacing. Blink stood in Spot's way, glaring.  
"Dis is my goirl we's talkin bout. Ise don't care wat she says, youse is a dead man standin when dis is over."  
Spot glared back. "Dis is me sister we's talkin bout. Ise care wat she says, and if youse hoirt her…" He left the threat unfinished.  
"Does she know youse is in love wit her?" Blink taunted.  
Robin walked in just as Spot was about to take a swing at Blink. Rushing over, she took hold of Spot's arms and fought to hold them behind his back.  
"Some king of Brooklyn youse are. Youse don't got enough guts ta tell her youse in love with her!"  
"Shut it!" yelled Robin, still fighting with Spot. "Both of youse shut it!"  
Both boys were shocked into silence. Spot yanked his arms free of Robin and stalked over to the window. He stared out of it as Robin sat down and Blink started pacing.  
"Wat happened?" Robin asked, barely able to control the anger in her voice.  
"Your friend ova dere is a gutless snake dat can't protect da people he cares for."  
"Spot?"  
"Dat man can't communicate wit da goirl he says he cares for but has da guts ta make fun of me."  
"So dis is bout dat Laura goirl?" Two heads nodded in unison. "Youse two are idiots!" Robin walked over to both boys and gave them a smack upside the head. "Youse both care bout her, so woirk togedder and save her!" With that, she stormed out the door, leaving the teen boys to come up with a plan.

* * *

Crutchy watched as food was heaped on a plate for Snyder. The smells of potatoes, bacon, and sauerkraut filled his nose. Looking at the tray, Crutchy suddenly got an idea. He slipped a potato into his pocket, planning on giving it to Jack later. Picking up the tray, he made a stop in the bunkroom and asked the boys for all of their dirty socks. On the way out, he asked Ten Pin to get him some dirt from outside the garden. When the younger boy came back, Crutchy filled the dirty socks with the dirt and stuffed them with sauerkraut. When the boy figured out what Crutchy was doing, he laughed.  
"Ise like da way your mind thinks, Crutchy," Ten Pin said. He picked up a handful of dirt and sprinkled some over the sauerkraut still on the plate. After all the dirt was gone, Crutchy smiled and thanked Ten Pin as he walked out the door. Making one more stop at the toilet (where he "accidentally" splashed some toilet water on the plate), Crutchy finally walked to Snyder's office and knocked on the door.  
"Good evening, Mr. Snyder, sir. How are you dis evening?"

* * *

Sneaking out of the room without waking the sleeping occupants of a room was hard to do with a crutch. Somehow Crutchy managed to do it and snuck up to Jack's room.  
"Pssst! Jack, look!" Crutchy said, putting the potato on the ledge of Jack's door. "I snitched it off Snyder's plate while I was servin him. It's da biggest one. Oh, Mr. Snyder was eatin good tonight. You know the stuff that we don't ever get? He got potatoes, olives, liver, bacon, sauerkraut. And guess what I done to his sauerkraut, huh?"  
"So what'd it get ya?" Jack asked as he picked up the potato.  
"Oh, anudder three months, prob'ly, but you can't let 'em get ya, right Jack? That's what you always said."  
"We was beat when we was born."  
Crutchy frowned and closed the slot. He leaned against the door for a minute, wondering if there was a way to cheer up his friend. Hearing Jack's voice floating through the door, Crutchy opened the slot again to see Jack talking to himself about Santa Fe. Crutchy watched sadly, wishing he could do more.

* * *

Laura woke to find herself in a hospital. The room started spinning around her as she tried to sit up. A pair of arms pushed her back onto the bed. The kind-looking face that belonged to the nurse leaned over her. Laura could see her mouth moving, but was too disoriented to make out what she was being told. Frightened, she sat up and climbed out of bed. The room rapidly filled with people, all of them talking at once. Laura didn't know where to look. The walls started closing in on her; they spun around in circles and she couldn't make them stop. Spot's face appeared before her vision as the lights grew dim and Laura slumped to the ground in a dead faint.

_**Okay, so now that you've seen the good stuff, hit that review button down there and tell me how much you loved it.**_


	13. Escapes and More Surprises

_**Panda Bear-No way! I play flute too! Not in a jazz band or anything, but I play too. Don't you love playing the instrument of angels? No worries about getting overexcited. It's fun having people write things for you. I already have an idea for your story and I'll start working on it once this one is done. And don't worry, I'm not about to throw the Spot/Robin relationship out the window. He didn't really blurt anything out in front of Robin, he just didn't deny anything because he was too busy punching Blink. (Although actions speak louder than words, so I guess that says a lot...) And Robin was mad, she just didn't show it. But keep reading and things will be explained. Carey and Crutchy I think will be reunited in the next chapter. It's funny that you like the whole Spot/Robin thing. I wasn't going to add Spot in at first, it was a really last minute thing because I was making it up as I went and I just threw Spot in when I needed a name. Same with Robin.**_

_**Tif S-I'm glad you liked what Crutchy did to the sauerkraut. I had fun thinking of ideas of what to do with that. (At one point I was considering horse turds...) Hopefully you didn't roll into anything and hurt yourself when you were laughing.**_

**_I'm just gonna say I still don't own anything you recognize from the movie but I do own Carey, Robin and Laura. So now you can keep reading the good stuff._**

Robin walked halfway to Manhattan before letting the tears fall. Spot had been a lot of things for her. Rescuer; best friend; protector; hero. He was a lot of firsts for her. First real friend; first crush; first real love; first kiss. But for all that, he still didn't like her the was she liked him.  
"Robin!"  
She sped up her pace as Spot's voice called for her.  
"Robin, wait! Please?" His voice pleaded with her and she hated herself for slowing down. She didn't attempt to hide her tears as she faced him.  
"Ise sorry, Ise really am. Ise was just angry."  
"So youse don't love her?"  
"Wat?" Spot looked confused. "Who? Laura? Course Ise love her."  
"Ise was a bleeding fool ta think youse could eva like me more den her, wasn't Ise?" Robin turned to walk away.  
Spot grabbed her arm. "Robin, wait. Listen, Ise can explain."  
"Explain wat?" Robin yelled, turning to face Spot. "How youse care bout Laura Mae? How wonderful youse think she is? How-"  
Spot grabbed her face and gently kissed her. "Ise love you. Yes, Ise love Laura too. Ise did have feelings for her and dey won't go away. But Ise love her like me sister. She'll be part of my life, but Ise want youse ta be part of it too. Dat feeling won't go away either."  
"Good," Robin smiled. "Ise want youse ta be part of my life too. But Ise can't be like Laura."  
"Ise don't want youse ta be," Spot said instantly. "Ise want you ta be you."  
"Ise can do dat."  
"Can youse accept Laura and stop callin people gimps?"  
She sighed. "Ise can try. Can youse make time for just me?"  
Spot nudged her shoulder with a smile. "Youse my goirl, ain't ya?"  
Robin stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. They stood side by side on the bridge in silence. Finally Spot turned back to Robin. "Ise hoird youse was send ta da Refuge. How'd youse get away?"  
"Ise didn't feel like goin, so Ise punched da guard and walked out." Spot laughed. "So, when do we break Laura out?"

* * *

That night, Robin told Spot what had happened as they walked to the hospital Laura was in.  
"We had ta wait till somebody came dat could speak ta Laura. She didn't look too good. She had blood in her hair and looked bout ready ta drop on da flood. Kept gettin confused too. Poor goirl had no idea where she was."  
"Wat happened afta da rally?"  
"Don't know. Ise think dose Delancey brudders the 'Hattan newsies always fightin wit woirked her ova. Her face was real pale and looked like it got a nice beating. Big lump on her head too."  
Spot nodded. "When did youse go ta court?"  
"Ise think afta youse did. One of dem sisters came wit anudder goirl ta talk in sign. 'Cept partway through da sentence Laura fell. Straight tad a ground and banged her face up. She hit her arm good too. Might not be able ta get herself out."  
"So we's carry her out. Can youse help?"  
They hid in a corner as a wagon pulled up to the gate around the hospital. Spot motioned for Robin to hop on the back and ride through. Once through the gates and in the door, Robin led Spot through the maze of hallways to the room she remembered Laura being taken to.  
"It's dis one. Her friend told me da room number."  
Spot stuck his head in the door. Laura was surrounded by doctors and nurses, all talking over each other at once. Laura caught his eye just before falling to the ground in a faint.  
"Wat happened?" Robin whispered.  
"She fainted," Spot whispered back. "Dere's too many people in dere right now. We need a plan."  
"Ise got an idea. When dey leave, get Laura out. Ise'll be waiting by da gate." Robin took off down the hallway. Spot waited until he saw the room empty except for Laura and one nurse standing over her. He slipped noiselessly into the room and walked over.  
"Scuse me," he said, tapping the nurse on the shoulder.  
"Yes, sir?"  
"Got orders ta move her." She looked at Spot suspiciously. He lifted his shoulders. "Got my orders, lady. Look sharp." Still looking suspicious, the nurse helped Spot get Laura out of bed. He sent the nurse out of the room on an errand and swooped Laura into his arms before getting out as fast as he dared.

* * *

Laura felt cool air on her face and opened her eyes. This time, instead of seeing a hospital room, she saw the starry night sky and the concerned faces of Spot and Robin looking at her. They both let out the breath they had been holding. Laura blinked, not sure what was going on or why she way lying on the ground. She tried to lift her head, but quickly put it back down as a wave of dizziness swept over her. Her eyes felt unfocused and everything hurt. She closed her eyes again and rested her head on the ground. Spot looked at Laura, concerned. Robin glanced over and shrugged. Clearly neither of them had thought about how to get Laura anywhere if she could hardly sit up. He reached down and picked her up again, carrying her all the way back to Manhattan.

* * *

Blink was sitting on his bunk staring into space when he heard a commotion downstairs. Hopping off his bunk and running downstairs, he saw Kloppman directing Spot Conlon and a red-haired girl into the sitting room.  
"Set her down gently," Kloppman told Spot.  
"She ain't doin so good," Spot said, setting her carefully on the couch.  
"Afta wat happened?" the girl snorted. "Ise just surprised she ain't any woirse."  
"Wat happened?" Race asked. Blink jumped in surprise, just then noticing the crowd of newsies that had also heard the commotion and come downstairs. Spot turned and motioned Blink over.  
"Laura," he said by way of explanation to Blink's look. "We broke her outta da hospital, but she ain't lookin so good. She got woirked over and Ise think she's gettin sick too."  
Kloppman ordered Robin to bring down some water and towels. He set to work looking Laura over, checking for broken bones.  
"Nothing but blood and some bruises," Kloppman said as Robin came back. Blink took one of the towels and wet it, lovingly running it over Laura's face to clean off the blood. "Got a nice fever though. She'll need plenty of rest and someone watching her all night."  
"Ise can do it," Blink volunteered right away. Spot nodded and made himself comfortable on a seat across the room. Robin sat next to him, silently cuddling close to his side. The three teens stayed that way most of the night, only asking for more supplies and not moving except to fetch said supplies.

* * *

The next morning, Blink and Spot went with the newsies to the distribution center. They were both tired and still worried about Laura, but Carey had come in the early hours of the morning and sent them to bed. When they had come down just before leaving, Laura had managed to eat something before falling back asleep and Robin and Carey had volunteered to stay back so that the boys could go with the newsies, who at the moment were protesting the World.  
"Stop the World! No more papes! Stop the World! No more papes!"  
They were broken up when a wagon came through the crowd, sending the boys into chaos. Blink could hear David yelling at Race for help. Spot was walking through the crowd trying to break up some of the fights.  
"Hey, hey, hey! Break it up." Looking up, he saw a police barricade coming out and what looked like Jack Kelly dressed as a scabber behind them. "Hey, Race, come here."  
"What?"  
"Tell me I'm seeing things. J-Just-just tell me I'm seeing things."  
"No, you ain't seeing things. That's Jack. What's he doing?"  
"He's dressed like a scabber!" Spot yelled as Mush pushed his way to the front.  
"Jack? Jack, look at me, will ya? Come on, it's me, Mush. Look at me. What are you doin', Jack?"  
"This ain't happening," Blink said, upset with the new twist in the strike. "This can't be happening. What are you doin' Jack? Come on, what are you doin'?"  
The rest of the newsies started adding in their two cents. Spot almost lost it and started shouting at Jack.  
"Hey, hey, hey! Let me get my hands dirty. Come here you dirty rotten scabber! Traitor!" The crowd of newsies had to pull him away as he yelled "I'll murder ya!"  
Blink watched as David walked to the front of the crowd and managed to talk to Jack. He couldn't hear what was being said, though Dave didn't look happy. It wasn't long before David was trying to get to Jack himself.  
"Maybe you'd like a new suit of your own, huh?" Weasel asked.  
"Never! Never!" David yelled.  
The newsies watched as the cops surrounded Jack and walked away. They all started yelling at him again.  
"Traitor!" yelled Spot  
"You make me sick!" Blink called as he held back Boots, who was yelling "I trusted you!"  
"Seize the day, huh Jack?"  
"He's foolin' 'em, so he can spy on 'em or something. Yeah, yeah, that's it. He's foolin' 'em!" Les tried to cheer up the older newsies.  
"Yeah, he's spying on then, kid," Race told him with a pat on the face.  
"Now wat?" Blink asked as they walked through the streets.  
"I don't know." David ran his hand through his hair. "Just…everybody just go home. I don't know." He took Les's hand and started for home. The rest of the newsies just looked at each other and shrugged. Blink caught Spot's eye and they both headed back to the Lodging House to check on the girls.

* * *

Robin watched as Carey ran another towel over Laura's face. The girl had just woken up yelling about a fire and some boys named Benjy and Daniel. After she had calmed down and went to sleep again, Carey explained Benjy was her cousin and that they had lost each other years ago when they were attacked and their tenement building caught fire.  
"And dey just found each other?" Robin asked in disbelief.  
"Yes, this past week. It was a miracle." Carey told her.  
"Den who's da other boy?"  
"Daniel?" Carey's brow furrowed as she shook her head. "This is the first I've heard of him."  
"Hoird of who?" They looked up as Spot and Blink walked in. Robin went over and hugged Spot as Blink sat down next to Carey and took the towel.  
"Laura just woke up. She was screaming about Benjy and someone named Daniel. I don't know who she was talking about." Carey traded towels with Blink.  
"Is she okay?" Spot asked. "She ain't losin it, is she?"  
"She ain't delirious, if dat's wat youse mean."  
"She was awake for a few minutes after you left and managed to eat something."  
"She said da name Daniel?" Blink asked as Carey nodded. "Did she say anything else bout him?"  
Carey shook her head.  
"Ise think she mentioned somethin bout her violin and dat dis Daniel boy saved it fer her," Robin said.  
Blink dropped the towel and looked at Robin. "Wat else?" he asked sharply.  
"Nothin," she said, looking slightly scared at Blink's sudden reaction. He nodded and picked up the towel again.  
"Blink, do you know who she's talking about?" Carey asked softly.  
He didn't answer for a long moment, focusing on Laura. "I was da one dat got her violin dat night," he finally replied, so softly no one was sure he had spoken at first.  
"You…You're…you…know…?" Carey finally managed to stutter out.  
"Wat?" Robin and Spot asked together.  
"Dat's how Ise hoirt my eye. Ise neva told anybody though. Ise not sure Ise want ta tell her."  
"But if she knows-" Robin started.  
"Ise'll tell her when Ise ready." With that, Blink left the room to get more cold water to bring down Laura's fever. When he came back, there was a note next to the couch saying the others had gone to Tibby's and that Blink was to care for Laura. She opened her eyes and smiled weakly at him. He bent over and kissed her forehead. Sitting down, he held her hand until she fell asleep again.

_**Personally, I don't like this chapter as much. Honestly, I confused myself slightly with the timeline. But hopefully you still like it. Review and tell me your thoughts?**_


	14. Strike Winning and Happy Couples

_**Panda Bear-I absolutely love the flute too! And yes, I couldn't keep Spot and Robin apart. This chapter will answer the questions you have. I love questions, by the way. They're a lot of fun to ask and if you ask the right people the right questions, it's fun watching them get annoyed. I'm so glad you like reading this story every day! I love reading your reviews every day. It always makes me smile and I spend like, the whole day reading your reviews over and over again.**_

_**Disclaimer-(Checks around the house) Nope. Still don't have ownership of anything Newsies. Oh wait! (Holds up paper) I do have ownership of Robin, Carey, and Laura, so don't let Disney say otherwise. Now go read the chapter and review!**_

Laura slowly woke up, feeling weak and tired but better than she had since the rally. Looking around in the dim light, she could make out Carey sleeping on the other couch and Blink sitting in a chair with his head on the arm of the couch, fast asleep. She watched him sleeping, enjoying the peaceful quietness. Laura suddenly became aware that Blink was talking in his sleep. She paid closer attention, hoping to figure out what he was saying.  
"Ise is gonna help youse. Ise promise nothing will hoirt youse."  
Laura sat there, thinking hard. She remembered having a dream about a boy named Daniel trying to find a violin. It was a bit fuzzy, but it had felt so real; as if it had been her violin the boy had been trying to find. Suddenly she was 5 years old again, and her tenement building had caught fire. She was worried about her violin and a neighbor-a blond-haired boy her age-was offering to get it for her. He promised that nothing would hurt her…  
Studying Blink's sleeping face, Laura saw the resemblance between the boy from her dream and the one sleeping in the chair. Leaning over, she softly kissed the top of his head.

* * *

Crutchy was opening the bedroom door to serve Snyder when he noticed a commotion at the bottom of the stairs. The front door was being opened and someone was coming in, waving a walking stick around. As soon as the door was wide enough, he pushed past and stormed to Snyder's door. A whole stream of people followed him. All the boys in the Refuge crowded in the hallway to listen as the man started yelling at Snyder.  
"Governor Roosevelt, how are-"  
"You were not given charge of these boys to steal food from them and hunt them down like animals! I expected better from you, Samuel Snyder. These poor boys are not here for you to punish like this!" Roosevelt kept talking, telling Snyder how many laws he was breaking and other such things. The boys started cheering when Roosevelt placed Snyder under arrest. Crutchy and Ten Pin high fived each other and started doing a little jig in the crowded hallway. They kept dancing out to the wagon to head back to Newsie Square.

* * *

Blink felt his hope starting to slip away. They had been waiting for a while now and nobody else had shown up.  
"So, when's the others coming, Kid?" Mush asked.  
"They ain't coming. Ain't gonna be nobody but us," Jack said before Blink could respond. He watched as Les started walking away from the group and Race followed him.  
"When the circulation bell starts ringing, will we hear it?"  
"Nah," said Race. "What if the Delanceys come out swinging, will we hear it?"  
"No!"  
"That a boy!" Blink walked over and put a hand on his hip. Everyone else followed him and looked out, watching for anyone that might come.  
"When you've got a million voices singing, who can hear a lousy whistle blow? And the World will know!"  
"Look!" cried Blink suddenly, pointing. A whole crowd of sweatshop kids were coming from all directions. He looked back out and could see Spot leading the Brooklyn newsies, Laura, Carey, and Robin just behind him.  
"Brooklyn!" Spot yelled. Everyone started cheering and shouting at once as Jack made his way to the front of the crowd. Seitz came out and brought him and David in to see Pulitzer.  
Blink made his way over to Laura and stood in front of her. She wrapped her arms around his waist in a hug. He hugged her back. "Heya, Spot."  
"Kid," Spot said back with a nod. "Take good care of her."  
"Ise will." Laura stood on her tiptoes and looked in his face. He smiled back and kissed her.

* * *

Spot watched as Laura and Blink kissed. Expecting to feel a twinge of jealousy, he was pleasantly surprised that it didn't bother him at all. A small hand grabbed his and he turned to Robin, kissing her head as he pulled her to his side. When he looked up, Jack and David were coming out of the gates. Spot started calling everyone over.  
"Hey, fellas, they're over here!"

* * *

Laura watched as Blink left her and went over to where Jack was coming out of the gate. She had no idea what was being said, but she could tell everyone was hoping for good news. She watched as Jack picked up a young boy, who threw his arms in the air. The crowd started going crazy. Everyone looked happy. Laura saw Blink looking happy, waving his arms in the air. He ran over to her. "We beat 'em! We beat 'em! It's over!"  
She laughed and kissed him as he picked her up and twirled her around. Nearby, she could see Spot celebrating with Carey and Robin. The five of them started hugging each other and patting each other on the back.  
"Jack! Jack, it's the bulls. It's the bulls. Let me down!" Les's cries caught their attention.  
"Down, Jack. Get down!"  
Blink, seeing the wagon coming, pushed Jack away. "Hide, Jack!" He tried to pull his friend away, but was stopped by Denton.  
"Jack, it's over. No, no. You don't have to run." Blink pulled Jack out of Denton's hand and tried to run again. "Not anymore. Not from the likes of him. Come on, Come on." They followed Denton over to the wagon, where kids were starting to hop out of the back. At the very end, to everyone's surprise, Crutchy got out.

* * *

Crutchy put a hand on Snyder's back, stopping him before he got in the wagon. "Ah, remember what I told ya, Mr. Snyder. The first thing ya do in jail, make friends with the rats. Share what you got in common." As the cop made to close the door, Crutchy turned to him. "Officer, may I please?"  
"Sure kid."  
Crutchy passed his crutch off and slammed the door shut before locking it as everyone cheered. Taking his crutch back, he came over to his friends.  
"You won't be seeing much of him anymore," Denton told them. "Say goodbye Warden."  
They all started calling after the wagon. Crutchy heard Race yelling "Bye pooface!" He smiled as he turned to Jack. "Oh, Jack, you ought tah seen it! He comes stormin' into the Refuge waving his walking stick like a sword and he's leading in this army of lawyers and cops."  
"Who comes stormin' in?" Jack asked.  
"You know, your friend. Him! Teddy Roosevelt!"  
Everyone followed Roosevelt's carriage as Jack climbed in and they started driving away. As the kids from the sweatshops followed it out of sight, Crutchy caught sight of Laura standing next to Blink and walked over to say hi. She smiled and gave him a big hug.  
"Heya, Laura. How are ya?" Crutchy suddenly noticed Blink's arm around his cousin's shoulders and the happiness in her eyes. He looked back and forth between them, wondering just what he had missed. "Did Ise miss somethin here?" Laura nodded, wearing an impish look on her face. Crutchy pretended to think hard. "Didja grow?" She swatted at him. "No?" After several more suggestions, he shook his head. "Ise give up." Blink, who had been watching the cousins and laughing, finally held up his hand, which was currently holding Laura's. Crutchy laughed and congratulated them.  
"We's got somethin ta show youse," Blink said, turning serious for a minute. He and Laura lead Crutchy back to the gate, where Carey was waiting patiently. As the trio walked up, she threw herself at Crutchy. He barely managed to keep his balance and catch the body flying at him.

* * *

After the group was finished hugging and kissing, it was decided that Blink and Crutchy would get some papers to sell and the girls would find some food and make a picnic. They would meet up later in Central Park to catch up. Blink leaned against a lamppost and watched the girls disappear into the crowd. As the circulation bell started ringing, the newsies started talking about selling places.  
"Try Bottle Alley or the harbour," Mush suggested.  
"Try Central Park, it's guaranteed," Race added.  
"Try any banker, bum or barber," Crutchy piped up.  
"They almost all knows how tah read." Blink finished Crutchy's sentence for him. Patting his friend on the back, they started walking to the distribution center to get their papes. David had just paid for a hundred when the sound of cheering came from outside the gates. Everyone turned to see Roosevelt's carriage returning, followed by the sweatshop kids.

* * *

Spot had stood off to the side during most of the excitement, happy with how things had turned out but not quite feeling part of the celebration, being from a different borough and all. Robin stood with him, holding his hand the entire time. When Jack came riding back through in Roosevelt's carriage, Spot managed to slip over and get himself and Robin a ride. They rode through the crowd to shouts from several newsies. Spot could hear Jack's girlfriend yelling bye and Jack yelling "Go back to Brooklyn ya hear!" He just smiled and waved, enjoying himself. When they drew away from the crowd, he leaned over to Robin and whispered "We's gonna start a whole new life togedder."

* * *

Crutchy walked with Jack and the Jacobs' behind the carriage. Blink, having too much energy, was behind them with a group of newsies, who were making up some kind of dance with their papers that quite frankly scared Crutchy a little bit. As they walked, Crutchy started telling Les and Sarah about his evil brilliance with the sauerkraut. They, in turn, caught him up on everything he had missed being in the Refuge. Blink, having tired of dancing, caught up to Crutchy.  
"Heya, Crutchy," he said, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder.  
"Heya, Blink. So…youse and Laura?" Crutchy looked at Blink, a questioning expression on his face. Blink nodded. "Wat exactly did Ise miss?"  
"It's been a long week," he replied, laughter in his voice.

_**Awwww...three happy couples. Everyone say awwww with me. One, two, three...awwwwwww.**_

_**Anyway, so I'm thinking the next chapter will be the last chapter and kind of tie up loose ends. I'm kind of torn though. 15 chapters seems like a good number, but does anyone think there should be more to the story? Or should I end it next chapter and do a sequel? Let me know what you think in a review. Oh, and thanks to the people who favorited this story and followed and reviewed. You people make my day!**_


	15. Epilouges and (Happy) Endings

_**Panda Bear-That's awesome that you actually said awww. Reading that made my day. I love happy couples. The trio of happy couples in this story make me happy. (Who doesn't love a happy ending, right?) I'm still a bit unsure about a sequel but I did decide to make this chapter an epilogue. I might do a kind of sequel of some one-shots about the different relationships in this story. I would have loved to see the people's faces at your school. That reminds me, when you watch Newsies, did you ever notice Dutchy's face at the end? You know when Jack asks if Roosevelt can take him to the train yards, Dutchy looks at Jack like "Really? Anywhere in New York and you pick the TRAIN YARDS of all places?" I just noticed it the last time I watched it and it makes me laugh. Anyway, Newsie-Con! I love that idea. We should totally plan one. It'd be awesome.**_

I don't claim to own Newsies; I do claim to own Laura, Carey, and Robin and claim to dream of owning Newsies.  


Robin threw her clothes in a bag with excitement. Spot had promised to take her somewhere that she had always wanted to go. They had taken a ride in Roosevelt's carriage back to Brooklyn, where Spot had told her to pack her bag. Stopping for a moment, she thought about the past week and all that had happened. Finally telling Spot how she felt; going to the rally and getting arrested; escaping from jail; rescuing Laura. Robin had to smile at that last thought. Laura was no threat to Robin's happiness anymore. Spot had reassured her that Laura would be part of their future, but only because Spot and Laura were like siblings. Laura would come to special events and other such things, but Robin was the one Spot was going to spend the rest of his life with. Smiling, Robin quickly finished packing and ran out to tell Spot she was ready to start their life together.

* * *

Spot happily watched as Robin ran to the ocean with childish enthusiasm. On the ride to Brooklyn to pack their bags, he had promised to take her somewhere she had wanted to go for ages. He had remembered Robin saying that her parents had taken her to the ocean as a child and she had always wanted to go back. Her aunt and uncle that she had been sent to live with disapproved of such things, so Spot had decided that some day, some how, he would take Robin to see the ocean. Maybe one day he would even have enough money to buy a house by the ocean for them to live in.  
"Spot! Dis is wonderful! Thank you." Robin ran up to him, dripping wet, and gave him a huge hug. They fell backwards into the sand, laughing and wrestling.  
"Ise love you, Robin," Spot said finally as they just lay in the sand. She gave him a salty, wet kiss before pulling him to his feet.  
"Last one ta da water is a dirty, rotten scabber!" she called after him as she ran back to the water. Spot laughed and followed her.

* * *

Crutchy watched as Carey and Laura ran through Central Park, chasing the pigeons. It was a week after the strike and the girls had decided to surprise their boyfriends with a picnic in Central Park. They had both said the picnic wouldn't be complete unless they chased the birds for at least 5 minutes before eating their food. Blink was nearby, trying to feed one of the birds the girls hadn't managed to scare away yet. Crutchy laughed as the girls ran over, scaring both the bird and Blink. Laura pushed him in the dirt and soon Blink was chasing the girls, trying to tickle them both. Carey ran over to Crutchy and sat down, flushed and breathless. Crutchy thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world.  
"Why are you sitting by yourself?" she asked. "Come join us. It's really rather fun."  
"It looks fun. Ise was just enjoyin da view." Carey started chattering away about the latest flicker and Crutchy listened to the sound of her voice, hardly hearing the words.  
"Crutchy?" Carey's soft hand on his arm brought him out of his trance.  
"Wat? Dat sounds good."  
Carey giggled. "You weren't listening, were you?"  
"Youse was talkin about da flickers, wasn't ya?"  
"Yes. But I just asked you what you think about Blink and Laura." Carey pointed with a laugh at the other couple, who were now climbing trees to see who could collect the most leaves.  
"Oh." Crutchy glanced at them, then back at Carey. "Ise think dey're a cute couple."  
"I think they will end up married one day and have lots of wonderful children running around climbing trees and chasing birds with their parents."  
"Ise think youse is more mushy den Mush." Crutchy gave Carey an amused glace as she blushed.  
"I think you are too. You just don't show it." Crutchy leaned over and gave her a gentle but passionate kiss. Pulling away after a minute, Carey blushed and smiled. "That's better."  
Crutchy gave her a confused look. "Wat's better?"  
"I was waiting for you to kiss me. I've been your girl for a week and you haven't kissed me once."  
"Well, why didn't youse just say so?"  
"It wouldn't be proper, would it?"  
He sat there, stumped and unsure how to answer that. Carey sat there giggling for a full 5 minutes before managing to regain enough composure to do anything else. She leaned on Crutchy's shoulder, content to just watch her friends run around for a while.  
"Will youse marry me?" His question surprised her.  
"Marry you? Right now?"  
This time, Crutchy sat there giggling for a while. "No," he said when he calmed down. "Well, not right now. But one day, will you? Marry me, dat is?"  
"Only if you come chase the birds with me right now." The happy couple jumped to their feet and ran towards the birds, holding hands and laughing.

* * *

Blink glanced at Laura climbing a nearby tree. He had challenged her to a contest to see who could collect the most leaves in the shortest time. So far it looked like she was winning. It didn't really matter to him, but she seemed to enjoy proving herself able so he had gladly came up with the idea for the contest. Besides, it gave him time to think. Blink was sure that Laura Mae was the only girl for him. She was the one he was going to spend the rest of his life with, but he didn't know if she felt the same. Blink had secretly been seeing Carey for lessons on sign language. His plans were to show Laura what he was learning and also ask her-in her own language-if she would want to marry him. He also wanted to tell her about the night he had rescued her violin, hoping it wouldn't scare her away.  
A stick being jabbed in his arm brought his attention back to the ground, where Laura was standing with an arm full of leaves. She had a triumphant look in her eyes that told Blink she clearly thought she had won. "Ow!" He jumped out of the tree and stumbled around, pretending to be injured. Laura clapped her hands in amusement, dropping her leaves in the process. "I win!" he shouted, throwing his fists in the air. Realizing he now only had one leaf, he looked at Laura. She stared back with a smirk.  
"_Now you lose,"_ she told him, holding out a hand to reveal two leaves. He stared in disbelief for a long moment before grabbing her around the waist and pulling her into his chest. She squirmed as he tickled her sides and tried to escape. They ended up on the ground, rolling around and laughing. When they finally stopped, Blink was on his back and Laura was sprawled on top of him. They just lay there, looking into each other's eyes. Finally Laura managed to pull herself to a sitting position and moved over to the picnic basket. Blink stayed in his position watching her, happy just to be with her. She caught his gaze on her and smiled. He said up and moved to sit in front of her.  
"Ise wanted ta talk wit ya bout somethin." Laura looked at him expectantly. He breathed deeply before continuing. "Dat boy dat saved your violin…he…well he…Ise…"  
Laura reached into her violin case and drew out her paper, which she then handed to Blink.  
**I know you were the boy that saved my violin.  
**Blink looked at her in shock. "When did…" She pointed to the next line  
**I had a dream about it after the rally. The next night you were talking in your sleep and something you said reminded me of that night. I made my peace with that night, so I'm not angry. I want to move on with my life. I see no need to say anything more than thank you.  
**When Blink finished reading he looked to Laura, who was watching clouds in the sky with a peaceful expression on her face and her sandwich in hand. Not sure what to say, he just watched the clouds with her for a long time.

* * *

Laura watched Blink out of the corner of her eye. He looked unsure what to say after reading what she had written. It was okay by her. She hadn't been expecting anything different. After a time, he took her hand and faced her again. He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss. He let go of her hand and she felt a moment of disappointment. Blink looked so nervous Laura had to smile.  
"_I love you. Will you marry me?"_ he asked her in slow but perfect sign language. She looked at him in shock for so long Blink wondered if he had messed it up. He tried again. _"I love you. Will you marry me?"_ Blink began to feel uncomfortable when Laura still didn't respond. She set down the sandwich she had been holding.  
"_You…you know…"  
_"Ise asked Carey ta teach me. Ise wanted ta surprise youse." Blink pulled at his shirt, wishing he had never said anything. "Ise guess dat woirked. If youse-"  
Laura finally moved, leaning over and interrupting Blink's sentence with a kiss. _"Yes."  
_Blink looked at her. "Dat one means yes?" he guessed. She nodded. "Yes it woirked or yes youse will marry me?"  
Reaching for her paper with a laugh, Laura quickly jotted down a response. **Yes it worked. I was very surprised. I will marry you.  
**"Not right now," Blink quickly told her.  
**Not right now. But one day, when we get older.  
**Laura leaned into Blink's chest as he put his arm around her shoulders, feeling safe and happy. Together, they watched their friends chasing pigeons, looking forward to their future together.

_**So this is the last chapter of this story. (Tear.) It was fun to write and I'm kinda sad to see it end, but 15 chapters just seemed like the perfect place to end. If you want more, please review and tell me. I'd be glad for the excuse to write more. (I'll even do a character or story just for you...) A special thanks to everyone that read and reviewed this story. It really made my day getting emails saying people reviewed. You guys (and girls) rock!**_


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